


Disrupted Future

by FlorenceSnape



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dead-but-not-dead, Drama & Romance, F/M, Inappropriate Use of Lightsabers, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Not Reylo but it deserves a chance, Original Character(s), PornWithPlot, Redeemed Ben Solo, Romance, Shameless Smut, Skywalker Family Drama, That happens twice, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:34:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 50,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20296879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlorenceSnape/pseuds/FlorenceSnape
Summary: They were friends; she was an Alderaanian Senator-in-training, he was the future leader of her people and Jedi-in-training. They fell in love, got engaged and all was great - until the day he was taken. Not #Reylo but give it a chance





	1. First Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of references to the books: Leia Princess of Alderaan and Bloodline; lots of made-up things too. For those who haven't read either book, here comes a little history class: Leia underwent Senator training when she was a teenager (LPOA) and is an elected Senator of the Alderaanian people (who live scattered around the Galaxy, in different planets, and in a space station – built from the remains of the first Death Star – on the same spot the planet once was).
> 
> Also, Ben was born in Hanna City, on Chandrilla, so I assume Leia lives there (although it's known on the Bloodline book that she also has an apartment in Hosnian Prime – where the Galatic Senate is/was).
> 
> For reference, at the beginning if this story, Ben is 17 (he was born in 5 ABY); Sara is one year younger than him.
> 
> All the things I don't know, I check Wookieepedia and try to be as Canon as possible (but I use Legends information too).
> 
> Whatever you recognize is not mine.
> 
> Enjoy!

**22 ABY**

**Chandrilla **   
**Hanna City **   
**Organa-Solo House**

**Dinner party **

Ben Solo, 17, hated those dinner parties. In those moments, he thanked his Force abilities, otherwise he'd be forced to accompany his mother to the many boring events she had to go to, and he'd probably have to succeed her as Senator of Alderan too. He didn't love the idea of becoming a Jedi either, but that was the lesser of two evils.

He looked around the large formal dining room of his home; it wasn't full, only about a dozen people had been invited, his mother had organized that dinner for she was planning on leaving her political career in a few years, therefore a new Senator would have to be elected by the people. There were three teenagers interested in becoming the next elected Senator of the Alderanians, so his mother had invited them, and their families, to a small gathering so that she could get to know the future candidates a little. Ben looked around the dining room, paying attention to the different energies in there: happiness, nervousness, pride, greed; but as he analyzed those feelings, he felt an interesting energy, subtly beckoning him, he frowned and looked for its owner. Then his eyes met the blue eyes of a curly haired teenage girl, who seemed to be a bit younger than him. She smiled and shyly waved, he waved back – she looked as bored as him. Two other teenagers, a girl and a boy, approached her and Ben walked closer to hear them talking.

"Isn't this exciting?" exclaimed the girl with very dark hair, Anne Alda was her name, "We are guests at the Queen's home!"

"My parents were really excited when we got the invitations." said the boy, whose name was Jon Walt. "I hope we get to speak to her alone."

"Yes." added Anne. "It's no secret she doesn't agree with the Centrists ideas; we must try to make her see the advantages of having a more unified government across the Galaxy."

Ben saw the blue-eyed girl furrow her eyebrows at those words, not saying anything.

"Don't you agree, Sara?" asked Jon. "The Populists must give up; their projects are slow when it comes to solving small planets' issues."

"No, I don't agree with you." politely answered Sara. "But I respect your opinion." she didn't try to continue the conversation, her eyes roaming around the room.

"What? How can you not see the brilliance that is the Centrists' main goal?" insisted Jon.

"We've already had many of these conversations, guys." Sara sounded annoyed. "And we have all sat on the same history class where we learned that the Empire arose after a centralization of power."

"Senator Casterfo said that, this time, they will be very careful with whom they will choose as Chancelor." said Anne.

"Casterfo?" disdained Sara, visibly irritated. "Sure. The guy with the Empire Museum in his office will help us all not return to the Empire days. Right."

"They are all historic pieces." defended Anne. "He's honoring our history memory."

"Sure, that's why he has objects from the Republic as well. Oh, wait, he doesn't!" Sara raised her voice a little; then she took a deep breath. "Look, as I said before: I disagree, but I respect your opinion."

"But you must see reason!" insisted Jon, raising his voice.

"You should show more respect to the place where you were invited to." interrupted Ben. "And to the person you are talking to as well." he looked briefly at Sara. "Who I heard saying, twice, that she disagrees but respects you. You should offer her the same courtesy."

"And who are you?" asked Jon, disdainfully.

"Ben Solo."

And all the color left Anne and Jon's faces – they had just been scolded by the heir to the throne of their people. They both bowed their heads quickly and walked away without another word.

"Thanks." said Sara. "But I can handle those two."

"You're welcome anyway. Do you know them?"

"Yes, unfortunately, we go to the same school in the space station." she replied, clearly unhappy by that fact.

"So, one of you three will be the future Senator?"

"Yes, and I fear for the future if it's not me."

Ben looked intensely at her, trying to read her feelings – no greed came from her when she spoke about being the one elected, only sadness and legit concern.

"I don't know much about politics." he admitted.

"Don't you study it at the Temple?"

"Yes. But only from Jedi/Sith points of view. As the Force could be used to manipulate elections and such, we are taught to stay away from it."

"Oh, I see. But I bet your mother has lots of books about history somewhere."

"Yes." he smiled. "Is that a way to ask me to show you to the library?"

"Maybe". she smiled mischievously. "Can you get me out of this party?"

"Sure. Follow me."

And they walked out of the dining room, down to a corridor.

"Wait." she stopped in front of one of the many paintings in the corridor. "These paintings. I recognize them but... they can't be originals."

"And they aren't. Mother had them commissioned by an Alderaanian painter. She had pictures of them."

"They are so precious." she touched one of the paintings with wonder. "I grew up listening to my grandfather telling the stories of how beautiful Alderaan was, how peaceful. And the way our people received foreigners with open arms."

"I know very little of it all." he said.

"That's not right." she looked at him. "You should learn as much as you can, one day you'll be our ruler."

"I know. But mother wants me to finish my training at the Temple first, and then focus on my royal responsibilities."

"That makes sense. But you could read about it, if you really want to learn, it wouldn't hurt your Jedi training."

"I'd love to." he pointed at the corridor. "Shall we go to the library?"

"Yes. Of course. Let's find you some books!"

And they walked down the corridor a little further.

Ben opened a door on the left and Sarah walked into a very well-stacked library. She went straight to the tall bookshelves and began to check the many books there.

She picked out three and looked at Ben, "Can you help me hold them?"

"Sure." he walked closer and held the books she passed out to him.

Sara kept on selecting books, speaking about all the things Ben would learn when he read them; she talked and he listened, carrying the books for her in silence. All of a sudden, she heard him chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"People either fear me or treat me like royalty. But you are just ignoring me and making me your book-carrier."

"Oh," she stopped walking and became serious, "Should I apologize? You are royalty after all."

"Nah, don't worry. I'll be your book-carrier any day as long as I don't have to be part of any parties."

That made her smile. "I must say I don't like them either," she admitted.

"So let me warn you that you will be going too many of those, if you ever get elected. My mother has at least two every week."

She winced. "That's definitely something I am not looking forward to..."

"Why become a Senator?" he asked. "You don't look like you really want a position of power."

"Anyone that wants power should never be allowed to have it." she replied. "My grandpa used to say that. I want to be a Senator to stop people like Jon and Anne. They don't know what they're talking about. Not really. They love Casterfo, believe everything the man says... and there is this Lady Carise, from Arkanis... if we ever hear about a fan club made for her, I will know who are its two founders, Anne and Jon idolize her. She is all about electing a First Senator – that's the name they are giving to their new Chancellor, by the way. As if a different name was enough to disguise their true intentions."

"That's all really worrying." Ben listened to her words attentively, feeling her deep concern.

"Yeah, my dad discouraged me. He said our family shouldn't go into politics, that our time has come and gone." she looked at Ben, noticing he didin't seem to know what she was talking about, so she explained: "When my great-grandfather lost the Viceroy title to your great-grandfather? You don't know that?"

"No. And you know so much about Alderan's history..." Ben was impressed. "You would definitely enjoy talking to my mother. I can't keep up with her half the time."

Sara smiled, a little of the tension leaving her body.

"This one." she suddenly pointed at the book on top of the pile in his arms. "This should be the one you read first. This is Alderaanian basic history; next you should read the one with the blue cover – it talks briefly of the creation of the Empire, from a political point of view. And then you must read a good one about the Republic..." she looked at the other four books she had given Ben and chose two, removing the other two from his arms. "Any one of these would be great."

He looked at her, liking the way she spoke about him having to educate himself; his mother acted as if becoming a Jedi was the only important thing in Ben's life, even when she knew it was the thing he cared less about.

"Okay." he said, with four books in his arms. "I'll try to read them all."

"Good." she put the two books she had decided he didn't need to read back on the shelves, then she turned around to face him and they fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Ben noticed Sara was getting nervous for the first time that night.

"Can I share something with you?" she whispered unexpectedly.

"Of course. I just admitted to you my complete ignorance of all things I'm supposed to be a legacy of."

She smiled and walked close to him again, looking into his eyes. He watched as she relaxed her shoulders and let a breath out slowly. At first, he waited for her to say something, but then he felt it: the Force, strong around her.

"You are..." he said, looking at her with surprise and a bit of confusion. "Force-sensitive."

"Yes." she confirmed, smiling. "It's a relief to share it with someone other than my father."

"Why aren't you at the Temple?"

"My father let me choose. And I chose to have a normal life."

"But you have been hiding your presence all night, you're not untrained."

"Well, not really. But all I know I've learned from books. I had to learn something, for my powers got out of control too many times. I caused a few accidents and was home-schooled for a while until I learned how to control them."

"I wish such choice had been offered to me." he whispered. "Thanks for sharing it with me. Do you need help with that?"

"That's not why I shared it with you, but if you are offering... I'd like to test my sword abilities against someone trained at a real Jedi Temple." she smiled broadly. "What do you say?"

"Sure. Follow me again." and he walked out of the library, four books in his arms.

Sarah followed him two floors down, until they reached a training space.

"This is so nice." she looked around in awe. "My space at home is nothing like this."

Ben put the books on a desk and picked up two wooden swords, throwing one at her without saying anything.

By reflex Sarah turned around and grabbed it before it hit her. She smiled, "That wasn't fair!" she said, getting into battle position; she took a deep breath, reaching out her senses to hear his heartbeat – something she had learned helped identify when your opponent was going to strike. Then, without further notice, she attacked him.

Ben was taken by surprise by her attack, she was fast and precise – his main thought was that he was lucky she wasn't branding an actual lightsaber – she would have slashed him in several places if that had been the case.

* * *

Two hours later, they walked back into the dining room; dinner had already been served and the tables cleaned – but neither of them cared. Ben walked towards his mother and Sara tried to find her father.

"Sara!" exclaimed Wedge Antilles. "Look at you!" he was somewhat angry, "All sweaty... and your hair is a mess! Where have you been?"

"I was training with Ben." she happily replied, looking at him who was talking to his mother.

Her father shook his head and sighed. "Stay close, soon we'll have our chance to talk to the Queen."

After a few minutes, Sarah followed her father towards Leia.

"Your highness, this is my daughter Sara."

"I'm sorry for my disheveled looks." Sara promptly said.

"Oh, don't worry. I've just heard a few things about you." she glanced at her son. "Nice to meet you, dear. I have to say that, after listening to the other two candidates, my ears are burning to hear something less Centrist."

"Well, that's something you definitely don't have to worry about me." said Sara, speaking fervently: "We still have ages to go to get to the place where everyone in the galaxy has access to a decent way of living, but going backwards is not a solution. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard about the election of a First Senator. That's low even for them."

Leia smiled and nodded looking at Sara with a spark in her dark eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any grammatical errors – English is not my mother Language.
> 
> Leave me a message, if you will - I love hearing from readers!


	2. Kissing

**23 ABY**

**Hosnian Prime**

Leia had given her personal apartment in the Republic City for the three senators-in-training to live in while on Hosnian.   
Sara, 17, walked into the beautiful apartment and was greeted by two techno-service droids, one of them showed her to the bedroom she'd be staying during her time there. She dropped her bag onto the bed and looked around the room. She smiled at the realization that she knew who was the owner of that room. In the past year, Ben and Sara had become best friends. Whenever he was home from the Temple, he'd call her to go visit him and she'd spend a couple of days in his house. She was falling for him, she knew that, but neither of them could think of having a relationship, she had to learn to become a Senator and he was training to be a Jedi.  
Sara opened the closet and found a coat hanging in there; unable to stop herself, she touched it and brought it to her face, smelling it. It was certainly Ben's.   
She hang her clothes and closed the closet, deciding to take a shower before dinner.   
She put on a comfortable dress and lay down on the bed, after showering, waiting for the techno-service droid to announce dinner was ready – it was nice to live like that, not having to worry about cooking or cleaning; she was used to helping at the hot houses in the space station and in the maintenance of the station too. Being able to focus only on her studies was amazing.

* * *

Sara had been in Hosnian for two months, and as each day went by she got more worried about the future of democracy in the Galaxy.   
She walked into her room and locked her door, wishing that day would just end. Her roomates, Anne and Jon, were so happy about the absurds they'd heard at a meeting that day, while Sara was extremely concerned. She'd sat during the gathering and played her part of agreeing with them, while inside she was screaming.

The ringing sound of her phone brought her back from her thoughts. She clicked to accept the call.

"Hey, Ben." she said, happy to be receiving his call.

"Hi, Sara. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, of course not." she was glad they were in different planets, otherwise he would be able to hear her rapidly beating heart. They had just seen each other six days ago; she had no idea what he might want to talk about – but she sure appreciated seeing him.

"I have finished the last book you told me to read." he said. "All the books were great, and the last one, about the rebellion, really helped me understand how important all that my parents and uncle did was to ensure peace in the Galaxy."

"I'm glad to hear you liked them." she smiled, but it didn't fully reach her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, noticing something was weighing on her mind.

"Not really." she admitted. "Things here in Hosnian Prime are way worse than I imagined, so I've decided to play along..."

"What do you mean? What's happening?" he sounded worried.

Sara smiled at his worry, happy to see he cared about her. "A lot of things are wrong here, Ben... and they are about to go down way earlier than anyone has been expecting." she said.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Well, you won't like this... but tomorrow I will be nominated Lady Carise's official assistant."

Ben cringed.

"Yes. Anne is so jealous of me." she continued. "And that job will be as bad as it sounds." she lowered her voice. "I've convinced Anne and Jon that I truly regret my thoughts against the Centrists and that I see now how their ideas are definitely better for the Galaxy, so they invited me to go with them to Casterfo's office today. There was a small Centrist gathering there... and now that I am about to become Lady Carise's new assistant, they weren't careful to speak around me. The things I heard, Ben... it's bad, really bad."

"I've done some research on my end too." he said. "Have you ever heard of the First Order?"

"Yes! I have heard Lady Carise mention it to a guy during the gathering. What do you know about it?"

"Not much, I'm afraid. My mother caught me eavesdropping and stopped her conversation with my father. But they seem to be a military organization – only not the kind that protects people."

Sara lay down on the bed. Ben smiled at seeing her sprawled on his bed.

"Have I mentioned how glad I am that my mother put you in my room?" as soon as he spoke, he noticed how strange it had sounded. "I mean, I would hate to have Anne or Jon sleeping on my bed."

Sara smiled, once again his words made her heart jump and her chest fill up with warmth. She stared at his image and her fingers quickly took a print of the screen – she hoped she had been fast enough for him not to notice.

"I feel so helpless, Ben." she whispered.

"But you're not alone. I am here to help you."

"Thanks. When will you go back to the Temple?"

"Next week. But there will be another dinner here this Saturday; my mother will invite your father to come." he paused. "If you are free..."

"Sure, I'll be there. I'll go." of course she would go, who knew when she'd be able to see him again.

And a heavy silence followed, where they just looked at each other awkwardly.

"I will see you soon then." he finally spoke.

"Yes. Bye, Ben."

"Bye." and he turned off.

Sara quickly clicked on her picture folder and there it was: now she had a picture of him, she could look at his face every day, although she knew she shouldn't be feeding her romantic feelings for him; both of them had important works to do. But her heart seemed to be stubbornly oblivious to that.

* * *

**Saturday**

**Hanna City**

**Organa-Solo's house**

Leia couldn't help but notice her son's eyes were fixed on the door, and she already knew who he was waiting for. She was certain something was going on – or would be going on soon – for her son had never liked dressing up for those formal dinners, but for about a year now he was always willing to take part in them. She watched his eyes shine when Wedge Antilles walked through the doors with his daughter, the beautiful, clever, Sara – who, according to her son, was also Force-sensitive. The teen girl was dressed in a delicate salmon dress, her hair braided back and a smile on her lips directed to Ben – Leia's heart felt lighter, she had been fearing for her son for so long, but if he was on the path of love, that had to be a good sign. She watched as Sara approached Ben and he laid a kiss on her hand.

"Your highness." Wedge's voice took Leia's attention away from the young couple.

"Good evening, Wedge." she greeted him and glanced again towards the teenagers, but the couple had vanished already.

* * *

"I'm glad you really came." Said Ben after kissing her hand.

"I told you I would." Sara replied, bowing her head in respect for his status, for she recognized the clothing he was wearing. "The official colors of Alderaan's royal house look good on you."

"It's in honor of all of those who died. Today is 23th the anniversary of the explosion of Alderaan."

"I know. And I'm glad to see you dressed like that. You'll be a great leader one day, Ben." She hoped she didn't sound as lovesick as she felt.

"If I turn out to be a better leader than I'm a Jedi. it'll be good enough for me."

"Things aren't going well at the Temple?"

"They are, yes. But... I don't feel like going back. Next time I'll have to stay there for a while. I have no idea when I'll be back home again." He paused, looking legitimately sad. "I don't know when we'll be able to see each other again."

"Oh, so we should start tonight's training session as soon as possible." It was all she could think to say, the thought of not knowing when she'd see him again making her feel like crying.

They quickly walked to the training room.

Ben opened the door, took three steps inside and turned around suddenly to talk to her – the sudden move making Sara bump into him.

"Sorry." she whispered, quickly taking a step back but not before noticing how good he smelled.

"It was my fault. I've just remembered I brought something to show you." And he walked to the desk, taking something out of the bag that was lying there.

"Your lightsaber!" she happily exclaimed. "We seem to have thought the same thing." she lifted her dress a little and took her own lightsaber from a holster attached to her right thigh.

Ben didn't know where to pay attention to, if to the unexpected saber or the sight of her thigh.

"What color is yours?" she asked.

He raised his lightsaber and turned it on, saying: "Blue."

"Mine is white." and she turned hers on.

He looked at it impressed, "It's really bright. I've never seen a white one before."

"My father took me to Ilum. And although the entrance to the Crystal Cave has been destroyed by the Empire, I found this crystal in the waterfall that runs over the old cliff-side entryway. My father gave me a book to help me put it together. It took me a while, and I was really surprised when it worked and how stable it turned out to be."

Ben watched the white light of her lightsaber with awe; he slowly brought his own saber towards her and let them touch each other, they were immediately attracted to one another and the energy they released was felt by both – the humming sound and the sparks that flew were hypnotizing.

"We'd better stop before we hurt ourselves." she said, pulling her lightsaber away from his and breaking the hypnotic moment.

Ben just nodded, turned his lightsaber off and walked to the corner of the room to get them two wooden swords.

* * *

After an hour of dueling, Sara had Ben on the floor, her wooden sword on his throat. He looked up at her – his eyes traveling down her neck, following the path of a drop of sweat. She looked fierce; some of her hair had fallen from her braid and stuck to her shoulders and the side of her face. She panted lightly due to the strain of their pretend fight – which had been a little more vicious this time. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She moved her pinkish lips into a smile and stood up, holding out a hand to help him up and he accepted it. But the moment he stood up fully, towering over her, he didn't let her hand go, he pulled her towards him instead and touched their lips together.

After the initial surprise Sara let her sword fall to the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck, as Ben's hands closed around her waist, pulling her closer, the kiss quickly turned heated, their tongues meeting in a battle for dominance. The heat of the sword-fight still in their bodies making their skin more sensitive, fueling their desire.

They kissed until breathing became a necessity. They were both out of breath, their bodies as close as humanly possible. Sara looked up into his eyes and smiled, making him want to kiss her pink lips again. He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip – the sight giving him dirtier thoughts. 

"I've wanted to do this for a while..." he whispered.

"So have I." she admitted, raising her mouth to his again to lightly bite his lip.

That movement set fire on their bodies again and he kissed her passionately, loving the breathless moans she let out.

When they finally remembered to return to the party, there was no one else but her father and his parents there. 


	3. News

**25 ABY**

Ben, 20, and Sara, 19, had been dating for two years already. She still lived in Hosnian Prime and worked as Lady Carise's assistant, and he had at least 2 more years at the Skywalker Temple. They talked weekly on the phone. That day she was dying to get to the apartment and call Ben – for she had great news.

The moment his face appeared on her screen she blurted:

"My father gave me a ship for my birthday!"

"What? That's awesome! Is it the YT-2400 that we talked about?"

"Yes! And he remodeled it inside so now I have my own apartment in it! For I certainly wouldn't be needing all that space for cargo, I don't plan on smuggling anything. I'm so happy!"

"I can see that." He was smiling. "I'm happy for you. And happy birthday, love, I wish I had spent the day with you."

"I know." She smiled at him – conscious of the lovesick fool she must be looking like but not caring. "Whenever your uncle says it's ok for me to visit, I'll fly there on the Mirrorbright."

"That's her name?" he arched an eyebrow.

"Yes. My ship, I choose her name."

"Will you let me pilot her?"

"Of course! She flies so smoothly, Ben."

And he loved her even more when she declared her love for ships, for he loved piloting too.

* * *

**A week later**

Lady Carise had just returned from her trip to Birren and called Sara as soon as she had landed. Sara walked into her office and waited.

"Oh, my dear! I have so much to tell you." Lady Carise hugged Sara and turned around to pick something up from inside one of her many bags; she unwrapped the rectangular object she had in her hands and revealed it to Sara. "Look what I found in the Great Hall of Birren."

And Sara's heart nearly stopped as she recognized the sign on the box. "It's a treasure box." she whispered. "It is an alderaanian tradition to put your childhood's most precious objects inside a box for safekeeping."

"Only, this is not just any box, my dear." the smile on the woman's face had Sara worried. "This is Princess Leia's box."

Sara couldn't hide her shock at that information. She looked at the box closely and noticed it was unlocked. "You've opened it." she uttered half-accusingly. "It's a huge offense to open someone else's treasure box without their permission."

"Yes, I know. But I just had to peek inside." she wrapped it up again before continuing: "And I'm so glad I did. What a treasure this box holds." she laughed. "I found an unimaginable piece of information inside of it and I shall reveal it tomorrow."

"You will take this to the Senate meeting?" asked Sara.

"Yes."

"You should just give it back to its rightful owner. It's a punishable offense to..." she was about to repeat, but Lady Carise interrupted her:

"I know, dear Sara. And I understand your reservations; you were raised by the old traditions." Lady Carise tried to sound friendly but she sounded nothing but condescending: "I know. And I won't hold it against you." she touched Sara's hand, tenderly. "I know you are no traitor to our cause; I understand, it's just that old habits die hard. It's okay; you were taught to respect the Royal House of Alderaan. Tomorrow you don't even need to be by my side when I reveal this, but be close enough to listen to the meeting – I can promise you won't regret it."

* * *

Sara slowly walked back to her apartment, feeling dirty, knowing that whatever Lady Carise had discovered could not be good for Leia. She tried to call Leia but couldn't reach her; then she remembered that the Queen had gone out of Hosnian Prime on a secret mission with Casterfo. So that meant that Sara had no way to warn her of Lady Carise's surprise until minutes before the Senate meeting on the next day.

* * *

**The next day**

The moment Leia walked into the Senate meeting room, she noticed Sara wasn't standing beside Lady Carise as usual, she was on a corner, near the door instead; and Leia also noticed Sara looked apprehensive and when her eyes met the young woman's she heard Sara's voice in her mind: _Brace yourself. Lady Carise found your treasure box and there is something inside of it that made her really happy._

First, Leia was shocked the young woman had such powers, then she asked her: _My treasure box?_

_Yes. It was in Birren, for some reason. I am not sure what's inside, but Lady Carise is very excited about it._

Leia took a deep breath – she couldn't think of anything inside her treasure box that could be useful for someone like Lady Carise, but anything that made that woman happy couldn't be good.

Leia saw when Lady Carise put her box onto the pulpit – she never imagined she would set eyes on it again; she had considered it lost on the explosion of Alderaan. But her feelings of nostalgia upon seeing the beloved object ended abruptly the moment a message from her father, Bail Organa, began playing from it; and her heart filled with longing and then dread.

* * *

_"My beloved daughter,"_Bail Organa said. _"The supreme governor of Birren, whom I trust completely, said that he would keep this here for you when you someday inherit this title. My hope is that this recording contains no new information, that I have had the chance to explain everything to you myself._

_However, I make this recording during a time of increasing danger for our Rebellion. I know too well that I may not survive the war that is surely to come. By hiding the information here, on a world of no significance to the Empire, I hope to keep it out of the wrong hands and deliver it into yours. For this is knowledge you—and only you—have the right to possess._

_You've never expressed much interest in knowing about your birth parents," _Organa continued: _"So many times, you've told your mother and me we are the only father and mother you've ever needed—and never doubt how much that means to us both. But Leia, the story of your origin is one you must know. You were hidden with us, for your own safety, and for that of your brother. Yes, you have a twin brother, though you must not seek him until the war has ended, and both Palpatine and Lord Vader have been defeated._

_Obi-Wan Kenobi took your brother for safekeeping, and I took you. We hid you both from each other, and from your father, who could not know that any child of his had been born alive. You see, Leia, I always told you the truth about your mother and how she died giving birth. But I never told you that she was Padmé Amidala, former queen and senator of the planet Naboo. Nor could I share that your father was Anakin Skywalker, one of the last Jedi Knights and a great hero of the Clone Wars. But now I must tell you the worst, and you must be strong. I must tell you what became of Anakin Skywalker._

_Your father has become Darth Vader."_

* * *

All senators silently listened to the message; but when the voice of Bail Organa stopped, the quiet room exploded in words of disagreement, disbelief and outrage. Sara looked at Leia immediately. _Did you know?_ She asked mentally. Leia nodded, _Luke found out years ago and told me._ Then Sara asked: _Does Ben know?_ and, this time, Leia shook her head, so Sara said:_ I'll be on my way to Yavin, then._

_Thank you._ Leia replied before going towards the pulpit to speak.

* * *

Sara ran to Lady Carise's office and left her a note, stating she was too shocked about the revelations of that day and she needed some time alone. Then she walked as fast as possible to her ship and set course to Yavin 4.

* * *

Luke watched the unexpected ship land and a beautiful young woman walk out of it. He recognized her as she walked towards him with determination; he could also feel her powers; the dark blue dress she wore, with the Senate symbol on her chest, her hair beautifully braided in the alderaanian style, all added to her air of professionalism and power.

"My dear, Sara." He greeted her as she approached him. "Gave up on the Senate and came to join the Temple?"

"If you can have me only for the week, I could stay." She hugged him and politely continued: "Master Skywalker."

"Of course you can stay! But is that all that brings you here?"

"No. I'm here to see Ben, regarding some disturbing news that have just become public about your biological parents."

Luke looked suddenly worried. "They found out?"

"Yes, in the worst possible way. Leia's treasure box was found and inside of it there was a message from her father, his highness Bail Organa, where he explained all about your biological parents."

He nodded silently. "And you? How are you feeling about this? I know you were raised on the space station, following the old Alderaaninan traditions."

"I must admit I was shocked the moment I heard it, but I believe I know you and Leia enough to say that my feelings of trust and loyalty towards the Organa House and the Jedi Temple haven't changed."

Luke stared at her with a small smile on his lips, then he spoke: "I remember Leia mentioned you and Ben are good friends, it's good that you came here to tell him. Follow me."

And Sara walked beside him towards Ben.

* * *

Ben felt Sara's energy before his eyes saw her, he looked up from his garden duty and saw her walking towards him beside Master Luke. He dropped his tools and walked to her, wiping his hands on his trousers. Almost a month had passed since the last time he had seen her in person, she looked beautiful, as always, but something was wrong, she seemed tense – plus the fact that she wasn't hiding her energy was a big red flag; not to mention that her presence on Yavin lacked an explanation.

"Sara." Ben greeted her, reminding himself they had agreed to not turn their relationship public and accepting the hand she politely reached out to him; he lay a kiss on it, while his true desire was to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I need to talk to you." She tried to maintain a certain level of seriousness, but the way his thin white shirt clung to his sweaty chest was distracting her, filling her mind of thoughts of rubbing against him and having his hard body on top of hers. "It's important." she added, her mouth watering in her desire to bite his chest.

Ben got worried, but before he could ask her anything, his uncle spoke again:

"You are released from today's chores, Ben. Go listen to what she has to say." he paused. "And she'll be staying here for the week, so I'll find her a cabin close to yours."

Holding her hand, Ben guided Sara to his small stone cabin. He closed the door and his hands were on her immediately. Sara let him ravish her against the wall, her hands pulling his shirt off of him and feeling his sweaty muscles. He kissed down her neck as far as her dress allowed him. She wrapped a leg around his waist, feeling his hardening dick against her lower abdomen and one of his hands lifting her dress to touch her thighs as he pressed one thigh right against her center; she moved her hips rhythmically, rubbing her pussy on his thigh. They had been teasing each other for months, dangerously testing the limits of their desire for each other, but they had yet to consummate their love.

He took her lips again and she had to force herself to remember why she had gone there.

"Ben, stop." she gasped as he bit her neck. "Wait. You need to hear me out." she was trying to be serious, despite his unstoppable kisses and roaming hands.

Sara moved her hips again, knowing she had to be leaving a wet mark on his pants, for she could feel her panties were soaked.

"You really want to talk?" He asked before kissing her once more, passionately.

"I don't want to, but we must." She replied once his lips left hers to kiss her shoulder again.

Reluctantly, he let her go and they sat on his small bed side by side.

"So, why are you here?" He asked smiling.

Sara looked at his swollen lips and the desire to bite him had her biting her own lips.

"Stop it." He murmured, his thumb touching her bottom lip.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, once more reminding herself why she had gone there.

"Do you know what a treasure box is?" She asked.

"Yes, I read the books on Alderaanian tradition you told me to, remember?" he looked confused by her out-of-context question.

"Good, so you will understand the seriousness of what I'll tell you: Lady Carise found your mother's treasure box and instead of returning it to her, she opened it and exposed its contents to the entire Senate."

"That's a huge offense, as far as I remember no one can open other person's treasure box."

"Exactly, but... the subject of a message that was inside the box is what made me run to you. Your grandfather, His Highness Bail Organa, left Leia a message inside the box – about her biological parents."

Ben looked interested. "She never talks about it; I don't think she knows who they were."

"She knows, she's known for a long time – your uncle was the first to find out and he told her."

"Why hasn't she ever told me about them?" he asked, furrowing his brow, "What's so terrible about them that had my mother keeping it secret and you running here to talk to me in person? It's not like she's Palpatine's daughter or something."

Sara hesitated, her eyes filled with concern, then she said: "Not Palpatine, but someone close to him, yes."

Ben looked at her, thinking she was joking: "What?" he asked, when he realized there was no joke.

"That's why I came here personally. To help you think about it, and to tell you that I am here for you, no matter what. This news changes nothing for us." she held his hand and continued: "Bail Organa's message made it very clear: Darth Vader was your mother and uncle's father."

Ben opened his mouth as if he had something to say, but his words never came. So Sara kept talking: "When he was still Anakin Skywalker, he fell in love with a Naboonian Queen, Padme Amidala, who was also a Senator at some point, and even though he was a Jedi Knight, and at the time the Jedi couldn't have private relationships, they secretly married. She died in childbirth, and the twins – your mother and uncle – were separated for their own safety."

Ben silently stared at Sara for a while, searching his feelings, trying to understand how that information affected him – and if it affected him at all.

"Say something, Ben, please." she pleaded, worried.

He looked at their hands, entwined as they were, and he could feel her fear for him and her love and concern. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it before smiling, leaning in to kiss her lips. "I love you, Sara." He said, touching her face, looking into her eyes. "Will you marry me?"

She was stunned speechless by his sudden proposal, her eyes rounding in complete surprise. She tried to find any signs he could be joking but there were none. Her heart started to beat faster and she smiled, replying: "Yes! Of course!"

His smile got bigger before he took her lips again.

"Thank you for coming here to tell me this."

"How do you feel about it?"

"Honestly? I feel indifferent. But I know the press, and many people, will judge me and my family – and even you, once they learn about us. But I don't care."

She let out a relieved breath and kissed him again, their tongues meeting in passion and need; they fell onto the mattress, his body between her legs, his hands going under her dress, caressing her thighs as they kissed. Sara touched down his chest, her fingers finding the waistband of his pants and pulling them down; Ben stopped kissing her, looking into her eyes.

"Sara..."

"I'm sure of what I want, Ben Solo. And I want you. Now." she touched his dick through the thin fabric of his pants.

And he wasn't strong enough to deny her; so he helped her out of her blue dress and stood by the bed to remove his own pants. He stopped before removing his underwear and stared at her half naked body on his small bed, her skin so creamy and delicate lying on top of his simple bed covers.

"You deserve better, something special... not this." he pointed to the simple stone cabin.

She laughed. "This is exactly what I want! You're what I want, Ben." and she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him to her, kissing his hard abdomen, "I've been dreaming of this moment for so long..." she admitted, her voice full of desire, she hooked her fingers on the waistband of his boxer briefs and licked a path down his stomach, past his belly button, making his muscles tense in anticipation. She looked up into his eyes and pulled his underwear all the way down, letting his dick free of the tight underwear. "I want to taste you..." she spoke softly, looking at his hard member.

"Do it." he said, and it sounded like an order; for a moment he thought of apologizing, but the hot look in her eyes let him know she had liked the way he had sounded. So he fisted her hair at the nape of her neck and guided her closer to his dick. The feel of her mouth, so wet and warm, engulfing his hard member had him trembling with the desire to just thrust into her. He let her tease him until he couldn't take it any longer. Then he pushed her onto the bed and lay on top of her, removing her bra as he kissed her lips – her red lips, swollen for sucking him – then he followed a path down her neck, finding the mounds of her breasts and licking one nipple slowly.

"Harder." she gasped. "You know I like when you pinch them. I want to know how it'll feel to have you bite them."

And he obliged her, biting one nipple as he twisted the other, and Sara moaned under him, arching her back, offering more of her breasts to his assault. He kept on torturing her a while, but then he moved further down, passing her belly button, finding a scent that had him salivating.

As he touched one finger over the fabric of her panties, Sara moved her hands to her sides and pulled them down; once she had gotten rid of that last piece of clothing, she opened up her legs wider, unashamedly exposing herself to his eyes.

"Show me what you like." he said, and again his voice sounded like an order.

Sara moved her hands down, expertly parting the lips of her pussy and touching herself. Ben watched the way she moved against her own hand, noticing how she, sometimes, penetrated two fingers into her opening and other times caressed her clit; the next time she removed her fingers to touch her clit, he pushed one of his fingers into her, the pleasurable surprise making her gasp and moan, he moved his finger in and out, mesmerized by the amount of fluids that spilled from her.

"I need you Ben." she moaned, removing her and his hands from her pussy, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him on top of her.

He took her lips, almost violently, and entwined their hands, keeping them on each side of her head; with one movement of his hips, the head of his member found her dripping entrance and with another movement he was penetrating her, slowly, the sensation making them both moan. Once he was fully inside of her, Sara circled her hips, rubbing her clit onto his pelvic bone – the double sensation nearly taking her over the edge; he stared at her face as he moved his hips to thrust into her – her parted lips, the sweat on her forehead and neck, the pink on her cheeks, how she moaned every time he bottomed out. He found a rhythm and tried to keep it, afraid of hurting her, but it didn't take long for her pleas of "harder" and "faster" to drive him crazy and make him pound into her with strength. He felt her pussy closing around his dick and her louder moans let him know she was climaxing, he let go of any restraint and fucked her, spilling his cum deep inside of her still clenching pussy. And the moment he brought their lips together – both basking in the afterglow bliss – they felt a connection taking place, their energies merged and they both felt a warmth take on their whole bodies. They stared at each other, shocked.

"What happened?" she whispered, after the feeling stopped.

"I don't know." _I'll have to find non-embarrassing way to ask uncle Luke._ He thought, getting his half-hard dick out from her body and lying beside her, pulling her to his chest.

"I..." her eyes were big on her face. "I heard that part about talking to Luke... but your lips weren't moving."

He looked at her, furrowing his brow. "Let's try again." he said before thinking: _You're the most gorgeous woman, I loved to watch you cum on my dick. And I love you._

He saw her blush profusely and he knew she had indeed heard him.

_I heard it, yes._ She replied, thinking. _I also liked that. And I love you too._

"I think the Force has connected us." he said, after thinking a little.

"Is that normal?"

"I don't know. But it can't be bad. I feel more balanced..."

Sara closed her eyes, her ear over his heart. "I can feel your powers in me, entwined with mine. It's good." she felt drowsy.

"Yes." he whispered, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

Not far from Ben's cabin, Luke felt a change in the Force, subtle but powerful. He walked away from his group of students and closed his eyes trying to identify the origin of that change. He could say it had been close, in Yavin for sure; he opened his eyes and looked at Ben's cabin, that had been the source. He walked back to his students and finished telling them their chores for the next day, then he walked to his nephew's cabin. As he approached the small building, he could feel it even stronger. Whatever they had done, the Force had bonded them, for he knew for sure there were two individuals in that cabin but he could only feel one main energy.

He knocked.

* * *

They had been sleeping for a few minutes when they heard knocks on the door.

"It's me, Ben." They heard Luke's voice.

They woke up startled, looked at each other and jumped from the bed, getting dressed quickly.

Ben got dressed up first, tied his hair, helped Sara close her dress and opened the door.

"Master! We were..."

"Bonding." Luke interrupted, walking onto the cabin, closing the door and noticing how flustered Sara looked and the smell of sex that filled the small space. "The Force bonded you two. What did you do? besides the obvious, of course."

"Nothing. It wasn't our doing. It simply happened." Said Sara getting up and walking towards Ben. "The bonding, I mean, not the..." she blushed redder. "Nevermind. We can hear each other's thoughts now, unintentionally."

Luke seemed impressed. "That's... unheard of." he looked at the couple, Ben had his arm around Sara and they both emanated only one energy – if one tried to feel it more closely one could sense there was a small difference between their own Forces, but it was very faint – most of it had fully merged.

"Is it bad?" Sara asked. "'Cause we feel fine."

"I feel more balanced even." said Ben.

"Yeah, I can sense that..." said Luke, still looking at them with a serious expression. "And I don't think it's bad, it's just different – I've never seen this before." he looked a while longer at his nephew and the young future senator by his side. "You're keeping your relationship secret; why?"

Sara and Ben hesitated, then she answered: "It's because of me; I'm working closely with the Centrists, trying to gather information to stop their insane plans. If word goes out that I'm dating..."

"Engaged." interrupted Ben, making Sara blush and Luke raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"So, if word goes out that I'm engaged to Leia's son, the Centrists won't trust me anymore, and all my hard work so far will be for nothing."

"I understand." Luke seemed serious a little longer, then he smiled: "So, congratulations on your engagement, kid." he hugged Ben and Sara next. "So I'll pretend to have found you a cabin, Sara. But you can stay here with Ben."

The couple looked surprised.

"That's what uncles are for." continued Luke, "Just don't tell your mother."

"I won't, thanks uncle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one long chapter. Bail Organa's message I took entirely from the Bloodline book (so it's not mine!).
> 
> More sexy smut on the next one (and problems too!). Hope you liked it!


	4. Heaven & Hell

After an amazing week spent at the Temple, Sara dreaded the moment she had to go back to Hosnian Prime. Leia had already left her position at the senate and the election for the new Alderaanian representative was happening that day and Sara needed to be on Hosnian Prime when the results were out. She landed on the Senate parking lot and decided to wait for the results inside her ship. The crowd of reporters that she could see already waiting for her on the lot was too much for her to deal with right then – especially after living a week in peace at the Temple, doing nothing but training during the day and making love at night. She sighed as the memories filled her mind, smiling. She grabbed her phone and walked from the cockpit to the living room of the ship; she sat on the couch and turned on the news on her TV – she watched the news reporter talk about the results so far: Sara was winning, Anne and Jon didn't stand a chance. She closed her eyes and turned off the TV, letting her head rest on her hands – worry taking over her – she was only nineteen years old and an enormous responsibility was about to fall on her lap; responsibility not just to her people, but the obligation of stopping the Centrists' rising as well.

Suddenly her phone rang, bringing her back to reality – it was Leia.

"Hello." Sara answered.

"Hi, dear." Leia looked at her with affection and worry, "How are you doing?"

"I'm terrified." Sara admitted. "I've just realized the big mess I got myself into."

"I know... I did my best to try and stop that mess – but I was unable to do it." Leia sighed, concerned. "Now, it's up to you."

Sara looked at the woman's face on her phone screen, then she whispered: "I'm afraid."

"I know. I would be surprised if you weren't." Leia paused, there wasn't much more to say. Then she tried to change the subject: "How was Yavin?"

"It was pretty good." Sara hope Leia didn't notice the way she blushed. "I talked to Ben; he's not worried about who his grandfather was. And Master Luke let me stay for the week so I also trained a little. It was really good."

Before Leia could reply, loud pounding noises on the door of the ship had Sara jumping from the couch.

"The results are officially out." said Leia, checking the TV on her side. "Congratulations and may the Force be with you, dear."

"Thank you." and Sara hung up, taking a deep breath before walking out of the ship to start, officially, her political career – and her plans to infiltrate the First Order.

* * *

A few months after Sara had been elected, despite all the work of the Populists, Senator Tai-Lin Garr of Gatalenta was nominated First Senator – which was a big victory for the Centrists and the First Order.

* * *

**One year later**

**26 ABY**

Being alone in Leia's big apartment was a relief. Sara, 20, had to be careful of everything she did and said whenever Anne and Jon had been around – but both were working for the First Order somewhere else now – so, Sara had all the luxurious apartment (and the two service droids) to herself, and she could call Ben anytime, or Leia, and no one was the wiser.

The days at the Senate were becoming increasingly more difficult; there were too much discussion and little action – and the First Order was getting more and more adepts every month (some willingly, but most joined them by necessity). The majority of Senators had finally realized by then the huge danger that such military group was to the Galaxy – but it was, unfortunately, too late.

* * *

It was late night when Sara walked into the apartment, she went straight to the shower, putting on a fluffy pink robe afterwards, not caring to put on any underwear. She was walking back into her room to get dressed when she heard noises at the door – someone had opened it and was walking into the living room, she could hear their footsteps on the carpeted floor.

Sara tightened the belt of her robe, grabbed her lightsaber and snuck into the living room, walking towards the hooded intruder. Once she was right behind him, she quickly turned on her saber and spoke, lightsaber right on the man's neck: "Stop right there."

"It's me!" exclaimed the hooded man, raising his hands.

"Ben?" she was surprised. "Turn around." He obeyed, getting the hood off of his head. When Sara saw his face, she turned off her saber and jumped on him, hugging and kissing him, letting her weapon fall onto the floor. "Why are you hiding your energy from me? And what are you doing here?" she asked with a smile.

"I went to Chandrilla; mother wanted me to sit with her in a meeting with the Alderaanian Council."

"Oh, yes, she told me she'd start to request your presence in those meetings."

"Yes. She is in the middle of negotiations with the Tandankin representatives to allow the alderaanians to live on their planet while having their own separated government."

"Tandankin... isn't that the planet my father helped liberate from the Empire alongside your uncle?" asked Sara, letting his hair loose from the low ponytail.

"Yes. Actually, your father is the one that started that negotiation."

"And how are you feeling about learning all your royal responsibilities?" she asked, kissing his lips, her hands in his hair.

"It's difficult, but with you by my side to ensure I keep the diplomacy, I think everything will be fine in the future." Ben walked with her in his arms to the long dining table and helped her sit on it. He began trailing kisses from her lips to her collarbone. "So, after the meeting, I was on my way back to Yavin when I decided to surprise you." he lightly bit her shoulder.

"You mean you told your mother you would be going to Yavin and, instead, came to see me." She smiled, closing her eyes as he teased her neck again.

"Can I stay?" he asked against her ear.

"You'll have to make my time worth it, you know." She joked. "I am a very busy Senator now."

"I can think of worthy ways to spend your time." He smirked and pulled her ass to the edge of the table, towards him, making her feel his hardening dick; he fisted one hand in her hair and kissed her passionately, his other hand opening her robe, surprising him when he revealed nothing but skin.

"So this is how you were going to face an intruder?" He asked, eyeing her hungrily.

"I couldn't ask him to come back later, could I? Naked or not, I was going to defend myself."

She was feisty, and he loved her for it. He took her lips again, feeling her hands fighting against the buttons of his Jedi clothing. She managed to open up his shirt and ran her hands over his chest – feeling the hardness of his muscles.

He lowered his head to feast on her breasts, biting and pinching her nipples the way he had already learned would make her cry out his name.

"Fucking you is all I think about." He admitted, biting her neck again. "You've turned me into an addict." He went back to her nipples. "I dream of this, your skin, your scent..." he made her lie down on the desk and kissed his way down her belly, until her pussy was right in front of his face. He put both her feet on his shoulders, making it easier for him to open her up with his fingers. Sara was panting in anticipation, she loved when he ate her up – he pushed two fingers inside of her pussy and his tongue pressed against her clit.

She moaned, moving her hips against his face as he greedy lapped at her, alternating his tongue between her opening and her swollen clit, his fingers moving in and out of her in a deliciously slow pace. "Oh, fuck." She gasped, her hands on his head, pulling his hair as she quickly found her release.

Ben felt her pussy close around his fingers and he didn't lose a moment: standing up, he opened up his pants and pulled her up into a sitting position and off of the table. Sara wrapped her legs around his waist and Ben kissed her lips almost violently, before letting her put her feet down. He quickly took the robe off of her and turned her around, making her lean on the table, her naked ass rubbing on his dick. He held her hips and penetrated her wet pussy in one sure thrust – making her moan louder as another smaller orgasm took over her. He fucked her on the table, playing with her nipples and clit, keeping her on the edge of cumming again. He teased her, torturing them both by occasionally removing his dick from her hot pussy just to rub it against her opening. He loved the way she squirmed and begged him to fuck her. He could feel his own release was too close, but he wanted to make that last.

He removed his dick from her, gripping the base tightly, and took a step back, ordering: "Walk to the bed."

Sara rose from the table and turned to look at him – the look of desire in her face, the sweat on her skin, and the way she breathed laboriously made an incredibly sexy picture in his eyes; he took her lips before letting her obey him. She walked past him, slowly, feeling his eyes on her ass as she walked to the room. He followed her.

"Lie down." He softly ordered.

She looked up at him, smiling naughtily. "No. Make me."

Ben was on her in two large steps, grabbing her waist and kissing her lips again, dominating her mouth with his; he grabbed her hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her face away from his. He pushed her onto the bed and climbed on top of her, between her legs, opening her wide and impaling her again, deep and strong.

Sara threw her head back, arching her body in pleasure, her legs wrapping around his waist, pulling him closer, needing him deeper.

"So defiant." He groaned against her ear, "I wanna pound into you; so hard you'll be feeling me for days."

"Do it!" she gasped.

"I don't want to hurt you, love."

"Oh, Ben. Hurt me, fuck me hard..." she was lost in pleasure under him. "I love to feel you owning me." She admitted her deep desire. "Make me feel you for days."

And her words unleashed him, he pushed her thighs against the bed, opening her up fully for his invasion and penetrated her fast and furious, deep and hard, her shouts and the way she moved under him setting him on fire; her climax washing over her as powerful as his deep strokes. He fucked her until he couldn't hold his own release back any longer. She felt his dick get swollen, and the hot strong spurts of his cum filled up her sore pussy to the point it dripped down her ass.

He let go of her thighs and fell on top of her, still buried deep inside; she wrapped her legs around his waist, keeping him in place. They kissed slowly, enjoying the post-orgasmic bliss together.  
Sara tightened her legs around his waist and moved her hips, making his dick quickly harden again.

"Aren't you sore?" Ben asked.

"Yes." She breathed. "And it's delicious." She was lost in the pleasure of having him deep inside of her. "Just the thought of having your cum dripping between my legs is making me so hot..."   
He took her mouth with his again and moved his hips hard against her, his balls hitting her ass; he quickly built up the pace again, thrusting into her non-stop, her moans driving him crazy. He looked down to where their bodies met and the sight of her pussy receiving his hard dick as his cum mixed with her fluids were too sexy.

"Oh, fuck, it looks as good as it feels." He groaned, putting himself deep inside of her as his teeth played with her nipples.

Sara rolled her hips, her clit rubbing against him and the triple sensation of his hard dick inside of her, her clit being stimulated, and his teeth on her nipples had her spiraling into another strong orgasm. Ben felt her pussy clenching around his dick and didn't stop his torturing of her nipples, giving her as much pleasure as she could handle. Once she stopped cumming, he ordered: "Get on all fours." And she shook her head, defying him again. He loved that she brought their dueling to their sex life – she was a good opponent, worthy to beat – it couldn't be any different on the sheets, she was a challenge and wasn't going to give into his demands easily. He knelt on the bed and held her hips, turning her around onto her stomach himself. Then he raised her ass up to his appreciation, grabbing her hair again, at the nape of the neck, and bringing her up, her back against his chest. They faced a large mirror on the wall by the bed, and he wanted her to see how deliciously sexy she looked.

He rubbed his dick between her legs and spoke into her ear: "Look at yourself in the mirror... the need in your face to have me fucking your delicious pussy, my cum dripping out between your thighs."

Sara moaned, wantonly, and more cream filled her sore pussy; she wanted more of him, he incited a fire in her body that he had to put out or she felt she would go crazy.

"I feel it too." He said against ear, pushing her head down on the bed again and holding her ass up, penetrating her dripping pussy and pounding into her hard.

* * *

They were awakened, hours later, by the insistent ringing of Ben's phone. Sara turned onto her side, not even opening her eyes, mumbling: "Turn it off." So Ben opened his eyes and picked up the phone, checking the caller: it was his mother.

"Morning, mom." he answered.

"Ben!" Leia exclaimed as his image appeared on her screen. "Where are you? You're supposed to be... oh, wait." she stopped when she noticed he was lying beside someone on a bed. "That's Sara, right?"

"Of course it's Sara, mom! And I'll be going to the Temple this afternoon, don't worry." He said.

"Ok." Leia smiled. "And, son, I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks."

"Whenever you wish to make an announcement, you just tell me and..."

"I've already proposed to her, mom. Last year."

"What?" Leia sounded a little upset. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"Sara wants to focus on solving the Galaxy's problems now. Also, she said finding a planet for our people is more important than planning a wedding."

Leia sighed, smiling, "She's amazing, isn't she?" affection clear in her voice.

"Yes."

"The negotiations with Tandankin are going great, soon we'll have a planet; then we'll plan your wedding. And, look, next time you're both home, we'll have a little private celebration and you'd better get that girl a ring, you hear me?"

"Sure, mom." He smiled and hung up.

* * *

When they woke up again it was nearly noon; Sara dismissed the droids and Ben made love to her again on the table while their food cooked on the stove; then they had lunch after showering (together). And if it weren't for Sara having to go to a Senate meeting, they wouldn't be leaving the apartment anytime soon.

They walked together up to the city's big public market and said their polite goodbyes (no kissing or hugging in public). Sara watched Ben walk away, crossing the market on his way to the parking lot, then she walked towards the Senate building, each step she took reminding her of all the delicious things Ben had done to her in the past hours. She felt her heart full, knowing that despite all the troubles that were certain to come, she couldn't be happier.

* * *

**That night**

Sara was awakened by her phone ringing. She checked the time; it was three in the morning; she picked it up, worried.

"Hello."

"Sorry to wake you up, dear." it was Leia. "But hasn't Ben left for the Temple yet?"

"What?" Sara sat on the bed, her mind still a little slow.

"Is Ben there?" repeated Leia.

"No, he left for Yavin in the afternoon... it was about two-ten when he walked to the parking lot to leave."

Leia fell silent.

"Why?" asked Sara, feeling the grogginess leave her mind, giving place to fear.

"Because he hasn't arrived." said Leia, worried. "Luke called me just now."

Sara threw the covers off of her bed, "I'll try to contact him through the Force."

"Yes, let me know when you find him."

"I will." and she hung up.

Sitting up straight, legs crossed, and beginning to meditate, Sara focused on finding Ben's energy. She found him with ease, but no matter how much she called him, he never answered to her; he had, somehow, closed their communication path. She insisted and, suddenly, a wave of pain took over her, and his screams filled her mind to the point of making her dizzy.

She opened her eyes and jumped from the bed, getting dressed as she called Leia. "He's being tortured! I don't know who has him, I couldn't see anything, but I heard him scream and I felt some of the pain. He closed the path to me..." and the tears started to fall. "I'm going home, we must find him!"

* * *

**Chandrilla**

  
When Sara ran into the living room of Leia's house, Han and Master Luke were already there. She greeted them and Han spoke, concerned: "Leia said you felt Ben being tortured."

"Yes, but I don't know where he is. He's closed me off – I couldn't see anything." he looked at her Jedi Master.

"He might have done that to protect you." said Luke. "Whoever's got him may be trained in the Force and..."

"They could find a way to me." Sara interrupted, nodding. "I understand. But how will we help him if we can't find him?"

"Is he far?" asked Leia.

"No. I don' think so, it wasn't hard to find his energy, it was just difficult to reach out to him." she looked at Luke again. "What do I do?"

"Try to reach out to him again, I'll follow you." Said Luke.

And she sat on the couch, Luke by her side, she closed her eyes and focused on Ben's energy. Again, she found him, but still couldn't see anything. He had stopped screaming, but he seemed weak. Sara's heart started to beat faster, she felt Ben's energy diminishing and the thought that he could be dying crossed her mind, making her panic. Luke tried to calm her down and, with his added energy, she could locate Ben.

"He's near Rakata Prime." Sara said, opening her eyes and looking a Leia, tears falling. "But I think he's dying..." she whispered.

Leia looked at her brother, fear and concern in her eyes, but he didn't say anything to oppose Sara's statement. So Leia sat down on the couch, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her up.

"I'm on my way." announced Han, leaving the room as fast as possible. "I'll find him!"

"Yes. You must." Leia murmured, Sara moved closer to Leia, hugging her. "We have to find him."

A few minutes later a droid wheeled into the room with tea and biscuits on a tray.

"They're Miss Antilles' favorite." the droid announced.

"Thank you." said Leia.

They ate the biscuits and drank the tea in silence. Luke slowly pacing inside the room, trying to keep in touch with Ben's energy. Suddenly he stopped walking and Sara gasped loudly at the same time. Then Leia felt it. "No." she whispered.

Sara fell onto her knees, her hand clutching her chest, she couldn't breathe, the connection they had – a connection the Force itself had forged – was suddenly severed; she felt cold inside, the strength of such sudden emptiness making her lose consciousness. Leia looked at her brother, her eyes filled with tears and the need for an explanation, but he only voiced what they had all felt: "They've killed him."

The sound of Leia's phone ringing broke the silence. Luke picked it up.

"What was that?" Luke heard Han's scared voice on the phone. "I felt something."

"They've killed Ben." answered Luke, his eyes on Sara, unconscious on the floor and Leia beside her, looking about to collapse. "You'd better come home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger, nooo!! Yeah, now everyone thinks Ben's dead. Is he though? Well, let me tell you: this story has, at least, 10 chapters, so draw your own conclusions (wink wink). 
> 
> Anyway, next chapter we’ll have some character development, lots of Leia/Sara moments (sad and angsty mostly) and Sara will meet another Skywalker family member (if you’ve read Actons Are Louder you can easily guess who). 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 


	5. Training

Sara only recovered consciousness the next day; and as soon as she woke up she felt a huge emptiness in her soul – where once she could feel Ben's presence was now void – and her own powers, always so balanced, were all over the place; she felt heartbroken and angry, thoughts of revenge surging in her mind, uncontrollably, as tears started to fall, the pain in her chest threatening to steal her breath once more.   
It was dark in the room, but after a while she started to sense Luke's presence by her bed.

"I was waiting for you to wake up." He spoke in a low voice. "I want to talk to you about your training before I leave."

"Leave?" She whispered. "You'll go back to Yavin?"

"No. I'm closing the Temple. I can't stop thinking that I could've done something to protect Ben... maybe if I had pushed him more during his trainings." He shook his head. "I don't know." He sighed. "I'm not telling Leia. When she wakes up, I'll be gone. But I want to tell you where I'll be, because you need to think about continuing your training, Sara. You'll find me on Ahch-To – it's a planet on the Unknown Regions, it's not easy to get there but I'm sure you'll be able to find me. Also, you're the only one who knows that; please, keep it a secret."

"Sure, Master." She replied. "But you know it wasn't your fault. It was the First Order's fault – they must've been the ones who took him to hurt Leia. And that Dark-Force user Leia talks about sometimes – he is probably working with the First Order! He certainly was the one that tortured and killed Ben!" She felt anger rise inside her chest and the windows lightly rattled.

Luke put a hand on her shoulder, saying: "That's the reason I'm telling you where to find me, dear. Since yesterday I've been feeling that your energy is no longer balanced; plus the anger inside of you is growing... That's a dangerous combination, Sara. It leads to thoughts of revenge." He saw her avert her eyes, looking guilty. "Just try to calm your mind and avoid using the Force for a few days, until you feel more in control of your emotions."

"I don't want to be in control of my emotions." She admitted, her voice low and filled with purpose. "I want to see them all burn; and I want to be the one to light the fire."

Luke took a deep breath.

"Go find me, Sara. You're too powerful to be having such thoughts – you know how dangerous that can be."

Sara just nodded and Luke got up from the chair and laid a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

* * *

Sara stayed in Chandrilla, sleeping in Ben's room. She didn't have enough energy to go to work. She felt that, if she left and returned to her daily activities, she'd be accepting that Ben had really died (which was stupid, she knew he was dead – but she was too shaken to be rational). She notified the Senate she'd be leaving on vacation and let Anne in charge of her Senator duties for the month.

* * *

**Four days later**

Sara woke up and looked around the room; the emptiness inside her chest showed no signs of diminishing, the pain turning into rage at the smallest thought of finding who had murdered Ben.   
Sara got up, fixed her hair, put on a dress and walked downstairs.   
When she reached the bottom step, she heard voices from the living room, so she went towards the sound. Han; Sara's father, Wedge; and other members of the Alderaanian Council were in there with Leia.

"Hello, father." Sara greeted him, going towards him and giving him a hug. "What's happening?" she looked at the other three councilors.

"We are here to pay our respects." Wedge explained to his daughter. "Ben's death was announced at the space station two days ago. And that raised questions and insecurities amongst our people."

"We're here on official business, Senator Antilles." said another Councilor. "Our people want to know who will be next in line to the Aldaraanian throne. We may be months away from finally having a planet again, but our future will seem uncertain as long as we don't know if Queen Organa's good work will be continued."

Sarah took a few steps back, her face instantly showing signs of disgust.

"How can you do this?" she looked at Leia and Han and then back at the men. "It's been four days and... you come here to bother a grieving mother; questioning her who will she pass the throne to, now that her son is gone!" she was furious. "How dare you?"

"The Alderiaanian law..." started another councilor.

"Our laws are based on compassion and the universal well-being of our people." Sara furiously interrupted him. "I know all of our laws; don't you dare to try to preach them to me! You embarrass our people, coming here to make our Queen think of such a thing!" the light flickered and everyone could feel a change in the room's energy. "How could you agree to this, father?"

Wedge looked at his daughter with a frown, noticing something seemed different with her, then he looked at Leia and she discreetly nodded, as if knowing he was wondering how deep his daughter's relationship with Ben had grown.

Han put a hand on Sara's shoulder trying to make her calm down, before she blew something up. "Dear, breathe." he whispered. "And I agree with Sara." he spoke loud and firm. "Droid, show these men the way out."

Leia silently nodded in agreement and watched them leave without another word.

Sara sat on the sofa and the tears started to fall again. Leia sat beside her and wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl – shedding tears as well.

Han stood beside his wife, not knowing what to do; he felt as devastated as the two women, he had no idea if they'd ever recover from the loss of his son.

Once the tears stopped falling, Leia spoke: "I have thought about what they came here to ask of me."

Sara looked up at her ready to protest, but Leia continued: "It doesn't matter that we don't have his body, Sara; we all felt him die. We must accept it: Ben's not coming back. And the law is clear: I must have an heir – either by blood or by decree after my 40th birthday. That law ensures we'll always have a ruler that will continue the good work of the previous one. It's for our people's safety."

Sara wiped her tears and nodded. "I know. But it just made me so angry to see them here, forcing you to think about such a technicality in the face of your pain."

"I understand. But they're not wrong." Leia sighed and took Sara's hand in her own. "Anyway, I have thought about it in the past couple of days, and I've chosen someone." she looked into Sara's eyes and said: "Dear, I want you to take the throne after me."

"What?" Sara was surprised.

"You always have the best of interests regarding our people; you became a Senator to stop Anne and Jon to use such a position to aid the Centrists. You've always put the needs of the alderaanians before your own. You had Ben delay your engagement announcement for you wanted the Galaxy safe and our people to have a planet first. And, taking that into consideration: you were already well on your way to it – once you married Ben, I was going to abdicate in his favor. Therefore, you'd become queen sooner or later."

"It's different. I was taking on this responsibility with your son by my side. Now... I am alone."

"You can still find someone." said Han.

Sara made a face to those words. "No, I can't... we never explained to you how deep our bond was... the Force bonded us – Ben and I. When I went to Yavin to tell him about your father, we made love for the first time... and the bonding simply happened; afterwards, we both felt balanced, more powerful. Master Luke said he had felt it too, and he explained to us it was a rare occurrence, that usually the bonding of a couple was made by a Master, never by the Force itself." She paused, shaking her head. "I don't think I can ever be with... or love another man." she stopped talking as tears began to fall again.

Leia hugged her once more, both of them crying, and no one talked for a while; when Sara spoke again, she sounded broken: "I am exhausted." she whispered and Leia let go of the embrace to look at her. "I can't... I don't think I can stay here any longer." Sara continued: "Being in his bedroom, seeing his things, I..." she closed her eyes and more tears fell. "None of it is helping me. So I've decided to leave tomorrow."

"Where will you go?" asked Leia.

"I don't know. I'll just board my ship and go."

"I must say I'm saddened by your decision, but I understand it. I love having you around." Leia hugged Sara again. "Don't forget about us. You'll always be family, dear."

"Thank you."

"You do what's best for you, kid." said Han, his face showing signs of tears as well. "You'll always be welcome here."

Sara smiled at him. Then she looked at Leia again: "Do you have to publicly announce me as your successor or could it just be done in secret until the moment comes?"

"I can do it in secret. I'll just write a statement, sign it and declare it secret, to be revealed upon my death or abdication."

"Ok. That will be better." Sara said, nodding.

"No problem."

Sara hugged Leia one more time before going to pack her things.

* * *

**The next day **

  
Sara walked downstairs to have breakfast and once more there was a man at the door. She heard Leia thank the man and close the door.

"They are back? My father and the other Councilors?" Sara asked Leia, already feeling angry.

"No." Leia replied, turning around with a small black box in her hands. "It was a delivery." she had tears in her eyes. "It's for you, Sara."

Sara frowned and looked at the box, warily. "Is it safe, do you think?"

"Yes. And I guess I know what it is." Leia walked towards Sara, putting the box in her hands. "In the morning of the day Ben was taken, I called him, because Luke had called me saying he hadn't arrived at the Temple yet. Ben was with you at the apartment in Hosnian. He told me he had proposed to you a year ago and I told him he'd better have a ring to put on your finger the next time you both came home, 'cause we'd be having a small celebration."

Suddenly Sara closed her hands over the box, the air leaving her lungs as she realized what she was holding. She slowly shook her head and briefly closed her eyes, remembering that day, then she looked at Leia, murmuring: "He insisted on walking alone to his ship that day. He said I didn't have to cross the market with him, that I'd be late for my meeting... he may have gone to a jeweler then." she looked at the box with love and started to unwrap it; she took a deep breath before opening its lid. Once she'd mustered up the courage to open it, she stared at the beautiful solitary blood-red stone golden ring. Leia looked at it with a smile. "It's gorgeous, my dear."

"It's a rol stone." said Han, recognizing the precious stone. "That's valuable and powerful enough to be used in the making of lightsabers."

Sara just looked at it. Ben had chosen that for her, he had looked at that beautiful ring and had thought of her. Only, now, he was dead and she didn't have the emotional strength to wear it on her finger. She slowly put the box with the ring still inside of it onto the coffee table and walked upstairs to Ben's room, opening her suitcase and retrieving her small jewelry box; she opened it and picked up a delicate golden necklace of medium length with no pendant; then she returned to the living room, where Han and Leia spoke in hushed tones. They fell silent when she walked in and picked up the ring from the box, putting the necklace through it. She tried to close it around her neck and Han promptly walked closer and helped her close it.

Sara put the ring under her shirt, it sat low between her breasts, away from anyone's eyes.

Then she looked at the couple that looked at her in return with concern in their eyes. Suddenly C3PO walked into the room, noticing something serious was happening.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Princess, but some reporters are in front of the house, asking for an interview. Apparently, the man that just left you that box sold them a story about Master Ben buying an engagement ring... now they are demanding to learn who was your son's chosen bride."

Leia closed her eyes, all the dreams she had had of her son being happily married, and the prospects of her becoming a grandma in the near future, quickly crossed her mind and she sighed in sorrow.

"Let's keep this a secret, please." Said Sara, worried. "No one knows who is the girl Ben was dating, we were nothing but friendly towards each other whenever we were in public. I am working closely with the First Order, and Lady Carise knows I am frequently here, in your house – something she considers I do out of my loyalty to House Organa and to try and get information on the Resistance to pass on to her. The last thing I need is for her to question my true alliance. And the news I was about to marry your son will definitely make her, and many others, question it."

"And it may cost you your head." added Han.

They fell into silence and, after a while, Leia nodded, "Don't worry. I won't say a thing." and walked outside.

C3PO looked at Sara as if processing what she had just said, then he followed Leia.

* * *

After a delicious lunch, Sara said her goodbyes to the couple that once were her in-laws – promising she would keep in touch every week and be careful – then she walked into the cockpit of her nicely modified YT-2400 freighter and sat down on the pilot's chair, thinking for a moment where she'd go. She decided that there was only one place she should go. If she wanted to keep on helping the Resistance and using the Force without giving into the desire to set the Galaxy on fire to kill Ben's murderers, she had to learn how to control her emotions and how to make better use the Force.

Decision made, she had to find the coordinates she needed.

* * *

Ahch-To wasn't even on the most used maps, so it turned out to be very hard to find the planet. After three days and various hyperspace jumps, Sara finally found it.

She landed on the island that looked inhabited and walked out of the ship, looking around the beautiful quiet place, she exhaled, feeling some of the weight of everything she'd been carrying leave her shoulders. She smiled for the first time in a week.

Small greenish natives approached her with enthusiasm; she understood some of their language and greeted them: "Hi, it's a pleasure to be in such a beautiful planet. My name's Sara, I'm looking for Master Luke."

<"We know."> replied one of them, in their language. <"Luke told us a nice young lady would be arriving soon."> she took Sara's hand before continuing: <"We can all feel the pain of a lost loved one coming from you. We're sorry for your loss."> she sounded genuinely sorry and that brought new tears to Sara's eyes.

"Thanks." she murmured and they showed her the way to Luke.

Sara saw him first, working in the middle of a small garden, and walked towards him. He sensed her presence and looked up to see her – seeming relieved she had really gone there.

"My dear! I am happy to see you." Luke said, hugging her. "How are you doing?"

"Still angry; I needed to leave." she admitted. "And I just have too much to sort out now... also, I feel the darkness taking roots inside me and I don't want to become whatever that path will turn me into." She sighed. "I need your help."

"And I'll help you." He nodded, hugging her.

"Thank you." she exhaled. "Moreover, your sister has named me her successor... and I can't be a good ruler if my feelings and energy are all over the place. And they are... I see now how much of my balance – or what I'd assumed was my balance – was so dependent on Ben's balance... the past week I've felt anything but centered."

Luke nodded, "Let's find you a hut and we'll begin your training tomorrow at dawn."

She smiled. "I can only stay for three weeks. After that time, I must return to the Senate, otherwise they can ask for my resignation."

"That's not ideal, but we'll work hard daily. You'll leave better than you've arrived."

"Thank you, Master." She smiled, feeling happier already.

* * *

Sara trained every day.

Luke woke her up at the crack of dawn and her chores started as soon as breakfast ended. She had to work on the land, focus her energy on small, delicate tasks – like growing crops – and on big, physically demanding things, like lifting boulders and breaking rocks to help build or repair huts all over the island.

Ben was constantly on her mind, but Luke never asked her about how she was coping with his death – he knew she wasn't. He had to remind her of controlling her anger daily, though.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

Sara followed Luke uphill after a hard day of training; he had been silent all day, she did her chores without question and respected his silence.

"There's someone who wants to meet you." Luke said as they reached the top of the mountain and stopped at the entrance of a cave.

"Who are they?" she was suddenly curious, looking inside the dark cave and feeling the peace and quiet that emanated from the dark space. "What is this place?" she whispered.

"This is the First Temple, the original Jedi Temple." he sighed. "Once a month, I come here to meditate and talk to the Jedi Masters who have already passed." he hesitated. "I was here last night, asking for guidance on how to better help you; and one of them asked to meet you."

"Why do you seem worried, Master? You don't want me to meet with this person?"

"I'm concerned of how you'll react." he smiled nervously. "And what you two will talk about."

"You won't go in there with me?

"No." he motioned her to enter the cave. "Go, now."

And Sara walked into the dark cave, everything was pitch black at first, then she saw some light at the end of thw long tunnel; there was a firepit in the middle of a larger space inside the cave. She walked towards it slowly, stopping beside it to warm up her hands.

Sara was suddenly startled by a man's voice saying: "I'm glad you came."  
She looked at the man that had appeared out of nowhere in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked, noticing he looked vaguely familiar.

"Please, sit down." He temporarily ignored her question. "We have much to discuss."

She sat beside the fire and insisted: "Who are you?"

"I'm Anakin." He honestly replied. "And we must talk."

And Sara stared up at him, silently; that was one of the men responsible for the destruction of her people's planet – and for countless other deaths as well. Sara had grown up learning to hate him; and yet, as he stood in front of her, she had nothing to say to him. She lowered her eyes, feeling embarrassed and unfit for a moment, as she realized why he had called her there. "I know why you want to talk to me." She whispered.

"Good. Can you say it out loud?"

"Yes." she took a deep breath, looked at him and said, firmly: "I want them all dead. I dream about killing the people that took Ben; I can feel the joy it'll bring me to watch the light go out of their eyes." she stopped and looked at the ground: "I try to not think about that – and, sometimes, I succeed – but whenever I'm alone, my thoughts are all about killing the First Order's members. All of them."

"You know where that will take you."

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "I don't want to feel this way. But I can't stop it."

"I know exactly what you're feeling. That's why I asked Luke to bring you to me." He sat beside her. "Revenge is poisonous, Sara. And I feel all the love and compassion you carry in your heart and soul – love for your family, the need to fight for what you believe, the desire to give your people a planet; you dream of seeing alderanian kids running on the grass, playing on the beach." He paused. "A person that dreams of all those beautiful things cannot give in to something as foul as revenge."

Sara looked at her hands. "And yet I almost did." She admitted. "I wish I had, sometimes. It'd have been so much easier; everything would be justifiable. At least to me." she looked at him again. "I am so full of hate; no matter how long I meditate, how vigorous the training is or how tired I am at the end of the day – I still dream of murder. What do I do?"

"Remember the things you've always fought for. The things, in you, that Ben loved."

Hearing his name out of Anakin's mouth had Sara closing her eyes and tears rolling down her face. She fished out the ring from inside her blouse and looked at it. "How can I live in a galaxy where people kill others simply for being different, having a different opinion or religion? How can I live peacefully when he's not here because someone hated Leia enough to torture and murder her only son?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Sara. I know nothing about living in peace. But I know chaos – inner chaos. And it's an incredible power, albeit a destructive one; it'll take you down – and half of the galaxy too."

"What do I do?" she asked again. "I'm tired, physically, mentally and emotionally, and yet the war has barely begun."

"Leia can answer that. She's watched her birth father destroy her entire planet with her family and friends in it. And I tortured her before and after that... now, they've murdered her only son, and once again she found the strength to move on; she keeps on fighting no matter what life throws at her."

"How can she remain untouched by darkness?"

"Is she though? Untouched?" he asked. "I tell you: she isn't, she can hate and she has killed. But she knows, whenever she has a choice, she must choose the light, even if the path is harder."

"So our choices define us." she said, trying to understand.

"Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't be here talking to you. I made choices based on chaos and revenge most of my life – it didn't matter that my intention was to save my wife, my choices were wrong. And yet, in the end, I was able to choose right. I chose my son, and I regretted all my other actions. The pain of the destruction I caused is something I carry with me even in the afterlife."

Sara stared at him, shocked by his honesty and openness.

"Thank you." She finally spoke. "All my life I've judged you, hated you. But I understand you now. You chose your wife over your own self and that allowed evil to blind and use you. Her death... it broke you. You just needed to make someone pay." She lowered her head onto her knees for a few minutes, feeling all the anger she had boiling in her for the past week dwindle. "I understand. I'll be more careful in my choices." She stood up and so did he. "Where do I draw the line though? Can I control people to get what I want?"

"You shouldn't, but there's no harm in doing that. Killing is where you draw the line – especially merciless unprovoked murder."

"But what the First Order does isn't unprovoked murder? They invade planets and force people into compliance, with the choice between obeying or dying. If I were to kill them, wouldn't I be doing something good?"

Anakin shook his head, "Killing those people is their choice. You killing them is your choice. The people they kill is on them, if you kill them – it's on you."

Sara felt annoyed by his reasoning but she understood what he was saying. She took a deep breath, looking around the cave, letting its peacefulness fill her up. She smiled at the ghost of Anakin and said "I am glad you called me here. Thank you for sharing your wisdom." She walked up to him and hugged him, awkwardly at first, until he relaxed and hugged her back.

* * *

When Sara walked out of the cave, Luke jumped to his feet, "How was it?"

"Good. Really helpful. I see now how I must think and act."

Luke seemed worried.

"I must say I'm not so sure how good an influence can he be on you."

"Relax, Master." she smiled. "Your father has helped me."

"Ok. So, I'm glad to have brought you here. Tomorrow, at dawn, we continue our training."

"Yes, Master, I'll be ready."

And they walked downhill in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this short character development, we all know Sara better. Next chapter: Kylo is coming! 


	6. Starkiller

Three days after her visit to the cave she was walking on the beach, enjoying the sunset after an exhaustive day when her thoughts took her to Ben and how much he looked like Anakin – their energies were similar, and so were their facial expressions; there was no denying they were related.

"I'm glad to sense your thoughts aren't as chaotic as that day." She heard Anakin say, as he appeared out of nowhere and started to walk beside her.

"Yes. I'm learning to rein in my emotions. I'm focusing more on all the many positive things Luke is trying to teach me in such a short time." she looked at him. "I was thinking of how much you remind me of Ben."

"I know, I heard it." he touched her arm to make her stop walking and looked at her with a serious expression: "It was extremely wrong what was done to him, Sara; it wasn't Ben's time to die – the violence of that act disrupted the natural flow of the Force – and that unbalance explains Snoke's increased powers and your imbalance, as well as your abnormal feelings of revenge."

Sara stopped walking and looked at the ocean, "I often wonder what my life would be like if Ben was still alive; we'd be helping the alderaanians to settle on Tandankin, and we'd be building our own home there too." she sighed heavily. "At night, when I close my eyes, I allow myself to think of everything we'd have lived together, and I dream about it." she touched the ring under her shirt. "I fear that this feeling of longing will never go away." And a tear escaped her eye, rolling alone down her face.

"I wish there was something I could do." said Anakin, softly. "But I learned long ago that there's no way to bring back the dead; no matter how much we want and fight for it." and it was his turn to look sad.

Suddenly Sara smiled, "What a pitiful picture we two make... both crying and mourning for lost love and opportunities." she sighed, "Talking to you always helps me feel lighter, so thank you for joining me on my walk."

"I enjoy talking to you, too." he paused before continuing: "Also, I feel that I need to make you understand that you are only a few choices away from following my steps – and with the Force being as unbalanced as it is, the consequences this time could be of even bigger gravity."

Sara nodded, the seriousness of his words weighing on her. She watched Anakin disappear and walked back to her hut alone.

* * *

Those conversations along the beach became a daily occurrence; Sara listened to Anakin's words of caution and advices with attention; she feared those feelings of destruction and violence growing inside her, and she knew she had to keep them on a leash – and listening to him helped her do that.

By the end of her three weeks on the planet, Sara had found herself a Master and an unexpected friend.

* * *

And Sara's last day on the island had arrived; she trained even harder that day, and if she could have chosen, she'd not be leaving the planet the next morning. But she had to go, otherwise her plan of bringing down the First Order would be compromised.

After cleaning herself off of the sweat of the day in a pool under a small waterfall on the side of the rocky mountain, Sara met Luke and Anakin on the beach. The three of them watched the sunset and started up a fire to cook some birds that Luke had caught. They sat down by the fire in silence, just enjoying Sara's last night there; but she could sense that her Master had something weighing on his mind.

"How are you moving on?" Luke finally asked her.

"I'm not." She replied, honestly, looking at the flames as she moved her stick to avoid burning the meat at its tip. "I don't know how to move on... when Ben was murdered, he took a part of me with him. And all the dreams we had together: finding a planet for the remaining alderaanians, helping to ensure the Force stayed balanced as it has been for years, having a nice home and at least three kids..." she shook her head, a sad smile on her lips as she remembered the conversation they had once had about how many kids they would have. "I don't have such personal dreams anymore. I just want to end the First Order, help my people settle down on Tandankin and be a decent ruler for them." she removed her meat from the fire and started to eat it.

"Do you have a plan?" asked Anakin.

"Sort of. I'll keep being friends with Lady Carise. She is part of the inner circle of the First Order... and they are at the heart of the Centrists. If I stop them, I will be one step away from destroying the First Order – and those who killed Ben."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence for a while.

"Is there anything that I can do to make you give up on this idea of revenge?" asked Luke.

Sara ignored his question, taking a sip of her water.

"I don't think so, son, I've tried." it was Anakin who answered. "But I've also talked extensively to her about the consequences of her choices."

"Revenge is never a good fuel for your Force-energy, Sara." insisted Luke.

"I know." she sighed, a little annoyed at them. "I've heard you, both of you. But I want to be honest with you. You are my friend," she looked at Anakin, "And you are officially my Master now." she smiled at Luke. "You've trained me for a month now, so you are my Master, right?"

"Yes. And it's my honor to be so. Also, I appreciate your sincerity." Luke paused. "But I must say it's a dangerous game you want to play..."

"I am aware of that. But I have little to lose now." She chewed on her meat and continued: "Don't tell Leia, but the crown isn't incentive enough to keep me going – as much as I love my people, not having Ben by my side makes me feel empty. So I'll do what I can to help the Resistance."

"I bet Leia will be glad that you wish to help. In a way you'll be following her steps..." said Luke.

"No, I don't think so, Master." interrupted Sara. "She's told me many times she doesn't want me participating too much in the Resistance businesses. She wants me safe – and I get it. But I will do what I can to help her. I want to see the end of the First Order, and I want to be a part of that result."

"I'll always be at your disposal, Sara." offered Anakin. "If you ever find yourself in trouble, you only have to call me and I'll find you."

"No. I don't think that's a good idea." said Luke, making them look at him with a frown, "You can't, I've noticed whenever you spend too much time around her, I can sense your presence in her powers afterwards; you've been leaving an imprint on her energy." He looked at Sara and his father and they both seemed surprised to hear that.  
"I haven't felt anything different in my powers..." Said Sara.  
"But I have. And if you wish to keep on working around the First Order, Sara, that means Snoke will be around, so you can't have my father's energy with you, for he will target you."

"I understand." she said, nodding; then she smiled at Anakin. "Let's agree that if I'm at risk of dying, then you can go help me, ok?"

"You can count on me, my friend." he replied.

* * *

Sara returned to Hosnian Prime the next morning.

* * *

**Three years later**

**29 ABY**

After another loathsome meeting at Casterfo's Empire-inspired office, Sara, 23, declined Lady Carise's ride and walked to her apartment, using that moment alone on the quiet, deserted, streets to think about all the horrible plans the First Order had in stock to ensure the future of the Galaxy would be the future they wanted. Many of their ideas worried her, but the news of the superweapon that they were building in the Starkiller Base really weighed on her mind; and what was even worse: according to Armitage Hux, a First Order General, that weapon was only months away from being tested.

Sara reached her building, took the elevator up top her floor and walked to her door. But, as she was about to insert her key card into the lock, she stopped: someone was in her apartment and she knew who they were.

She opened the door and closed it, turning around to face the woman and the man waiting for her in the living room.

"Good night, Your Highness. And Mr. Solo." She spoke formally, facing Leia defiantly; in the last couple of years, Leia had become a little too overprotective in Sara's opinion – rationally, she understood the older woman, but it annoyed her nevertheless.

Leia looked at her with anger in her eyes, disapproving of her formal tone; while Han just looked worried.

"What do you think you're doing, Sara?" Leia asked. "I know you're just returning from a First Order meeting."

"I'm helping," there was no reason to try and hide it from Leia. "I have information..."

"No! I don't care about your information!" Leia shouted. "Your safety is more important. I've told you to stop trying to take part in any of this. You must think of our people! You're their representative! And their future Queen!"

Sara closed her eyes for a second, it still hurt to think of having to carry that title alone. Then she spoke: "I can help and I will help, whether you like it or not. The Resistance needs all the help it can get. If the Republic is still helping you in any way, it's only because I've been using the Force to make them approve the funding for the Resistance!"

Leia shook her head, feeling frustrated and angry at Sara; while Han simply smiled at them.

"You knew she'd do this, Leia. You chose her to succeed you because she's as strong as you." he paused before adding: "Ben loved her because of that strength and defiance too."

Both women looked at him before looking at each other again.

"I know." Leia finally whispered, "But this is dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt, Sara; and going to such meetings..."

Sara walked closer to Leia, saying: "I know it's dangerous, but I'm careful." she hesitated. "And I don't think you'll like what I'll do next. Or better yet: where I'll be going." The couple waited silently for her to continue: "There will be a dinner party to celebrate the inauguration of..."

"The Starkiller Base." Leia finished for her, her voice filled with instant fear.

"Yes. It's next week."

"And you're going." said Leia, resignation in her voice.

"Yes." Sara confirmed.

And a heavy silence filled the room, being broken by Han, who looked worried now; he walked close to Sara, and put a hand on her shoulder: "Just be careful, kid. We care about you – you're family."

"I will be fine." she replied hugging him.

Leia pulled Sara to a tight hug.

"I just don't want to lose you too." she whispered. "I know you've been reckless in the past couple of years. Poe has kept me informed."

Sara made a face.

"I know you don't care much about your safety anymore." Leia continued. "But we do; we worry."

"I'm sorry if I've caused you suffering with my carelessness." said Sara, truthfully. "But I need to do something, I can't and won't be a decorative Senator, nor will I do nothing as I see them plot to enslave smaller planets. I can use the Force to get us money, information and access."

"I know. I understand that you're not the kind of person to watch others die and suffer and do nothing – and I am proud of you for that." Leia sighed. "I just worry."

They hugged again.

"Come home when you leave the First Order base." Leia said. "Please."

"I will." Sara promised.

* * *

**One week later **   
**Starkiller Base**

The hangar bay of the Base was impressive, there was had a huge number of brand-new tie fighters parked there, stormtroopers and military officers were walking everywhere. Right in front of their designated landing spot, stood Armitage Hux and a group of five masked men.

Sara had taken herself and Lady Carise there on the Mirrorbright; she parked her perfectly and they walked out of the ship; Sara put on her best smile as she hid her feelings of complete dread of what she was about to hear that night.

"Welcome to our base." greeted Hux. "Lady Carise and the lovely Senator Antiles." he kissed Carise on the cheek, but respectfully took Sara's hand, laying a kiss on it. "It is a pleasure to finally have you here on the Starkiller." he said, eyeing Sara lustfully.

Sara just kept on smiling, doing her best to ignore the chill of disgust she'd felt when he kissed her hand.

"Thank you, General Hux. I am very excited to finally see this amazing base you've talked so much about." then she turned to the group of men standing close. "And these are?"

"The Knights of Ren." Hux replied.

Then the taller of the Knights walked closer to Sara and Lady Carise and removed his helmet to greet them.

Sara felt like time had stopped and all air had been sucked out of the room the moment her eyes met his. She froze the smile on her lips and stared at the man's face: his long dark hair, his greenish brown eyes, his full lips. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Welcome to our Base." he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Senator Antilles." he reached out his hand to hold hers and, the moment his lips touched her hand, her heart skipped a beat and she had to remind herself to breathe.

Her inner Force immediately tried to connect with his, the sudden energy dislocation had her feeling slightly dizzy; but nothing happened, she couldn't feel his energy and she couldn't connect with it – it was like his Force had been shut behind a wall; and the weirder thing was that he didn't even acknowledged what she had tried to do.

"I'm the leader of the Knights, Kylo Ren." he continued speaking, introducing the other four nights next, but Sarah could do nothing but look at him, trying to understand how could he be alive and not try to contact her or his parents.

After all the introductions, Hux led everyone to a large, beautifully decorated ballroom where a band was playing some soft music and a beautiful table had been set. There were other guests there already.

Lady Carise was deep in conversation with Hux, so, luckily, no one had noticed how awkward Sara was behaving.

The shock of seeing him had Sara's head spinning; she felt her mouth run dry, as if it was filled with cotton balls; she approached a service-droid and got herself a glass of sparkling wine, looking around the room to glance at him again. His eyes met hers and she quickly averted her gaze.  
Sara saw a painting on the wall on the far side, away from the table and the guests, so she walked there and pretended to be admiring it. She had to put her emotions aside and think – that could be a trap, someone could've found out about her relationship with Leia's son and hired a man that looked a lot like Ben to try and make Sara lose her mind and lower her guard because that party was nothing but a trap to imprison her. She took a deep breath, looking around the room carefully, trying to get hints of what was really going on there.

* * *

Kylo watched the beautiful Senator from afar; the dark blue dress she wore hugged her figure just enough to show off her curves, she had french-braided her hair and on her ears rested two delicate diamond earrings that called attention to the curve of neck. The smile she had on when she walked out of her ship was no longer on her lips, she seemed suddenly sad, worried and confused, looking around the room nervously. And that made him suspicious of her; he felt the need to walk closer to her, after all he needed to find out if she was a threat to the First Order or really an ally – at least that was what he was telling himself to try to explain the sudden need to get closer to the young Senator.

He walked towards her, stopping by her side, startling her. There was pain mixed with the confusion in her eyes when she glanced up at him, her eyes quickly returning to the painting in front of her.

"It's a beautiful base." she said, casually. "How many people work here?"

"A little over a million and a half."

She stopped sipping her wine and turned to look at him, surprised. "Wow. That's a lot of people. Hux mentioned it took only two years to build all of this."

"Yes. And we use the kyber crystals found on the planet's core to provide power to the base, so it's fully energetically autonomous." Kylo stopped, he didn't want to talk about the base or crystals, for some reason he wanted to get to know her but he had no idea how to even begin that kind of conversation; as the silence between them got longer, he blurted the first words that came to his mind: "Would you like to dance?"

The Senator looked at him, she seemed in doubt for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. Suddenly she smiled and replied: "Sure." Then she put her wine glass on a small table near the painting.

Kylo offered her his arm and they walked towards the dance floor.

* * *

Having his hand on the middle of her back and her right hand on his chest, over his heart, as he held her other hand in his larger one and led her around the dance floor moving like professional dancer was like being in a surreal dream; Sara looked up into his eyes; she knew those eyes, she was certain that this man was her Ben.

She tried to reach out to him again through the Force, but once again she hit a wall and he didn't feel a thing. She kept looking into his eyes, his lips, and she could tell he had started to feel a little self-conscious because of her intense staring, so she decided to say something before the need to kiss him took over her self-control.

"Sorry if I'm staring at you, but you look a lot like a friend I lost." She whispered.

"No problem," he gave her a soft smile. "I have a common face. What happened to your friend, if you don't mind me asking?"

"He was kidnapped three years ago. And killed." she could still remember the pain she felt that day.

"That's why we need to bring order back to the Galaxy." said Kylo, with conviction. "No one has the right to kidnap and murder other people. Those resistance groups can't see how much harm they are doing by opposing us."

Sarah stared at him sensing how he truly believed that. _What have they done to you?_ she thought, her heart heavy.

The music changed and they kept on dancing.

* * *

Holding her close to him was soothing – for lack of a better word. The feel of her body against his and her perfume so close to his nose had, somehow, tamed his chaotic mind. When she laid her head on his chest, Kylo allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment and bring her a little bit closer; she just fit perfectly against him; holding her felt comfortable and right.

After the fifth music, Hux announced that dinner was about to be served, so everyone walked to the table and sat down.

Kylo sat by Sara's side, noticing the way Hux looked at her with desire. For some reason, that angered him – which was weird, for he and the other Knights had been trained to suppress all feelings of attachment: friendship, jealousy, love, nothing but loyalty remained. And yet Hux's hungry stares towards the Senator had Kylo angry.

Sara ate little and seemed thoughtful during dinner, only looking at Kylo from time to time and replying politely to the others when they talked to her.

_She must have loved the friend she said I remind her of._ He thought – and, again, he felt something like anger rising, now towards her dead friend.

Once she had cleaned her plate, Sara slowly put her hand on his arm, making him look at her. "Where can I find a place to get some fresh air?"

"There is a balcony overlooking the forest in one of the other ball rooms."

"Can you take me there?" she asked quietly.

"Sure, I can walk you there." and he stood up, the food on his plate completely forgotten, the thought that she could be feeling uncomfortable had him wanting to take her away from there immediately and make her feel better.

He pulled her chair for her to stand up and they walked out of the room, making many heads turn their way as they made their exit arm-in-arm.

* * *

Kylo opened the doors of the balcony and Sara walked out, taking a deep breath of the dry cold air; she stared at the vast forest, enjoying the silence.

"Is it always covered in snow here?" she asked, hugging herself to try and keep warm.

"Yes."

She looked at him and then at the forest again.

Suddenly she felt something warm being put over her shoulders: it was his cape.

"You don't have to..." she began, trying to give it back to him.

"No, you can wear it." he stopped her hands, putting the cape on her shoulders again, tying it in front of her neck. "I'm used to this weather."

"Thank you." she whispered, feeling the warmth of the cape on her skin. "Are you always this nice to visitors?"

"No." he hesitated. "But for some reason I... enjoy being nice to you." he sounded annoyed, and a little bit confused.

Sara turned her face to the forest again and closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling. 

They fell into a comfortable silence; then they started to listen to the low sound of the music that had once again begun to play in the party in the other room.

"Do you want to dance?" he offered.

Sara turned to look at him and a tear rolled down her face; he wiped it with his thumb, taking a step closer to her. "I'm sorry if I remind you of your friend." he said.

She smiled softly, putting her hand on top of his on her face.

"Yes, I'd like to dance." she whispered.

And he wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her to him, closer than he had before; she put one hand over his heart and he held the other.

Sara looked up into his eyes for a moment before laying her head under his chin, the song completely forgotten; he held their hands on his chest and they moved slowly, barely moving their feet. Sara raised her head, her nose touching his neck, being held by him had her heart beating so fast she thought it would stop; she touched her lips to his skin, needing to taste him, and he stopped moving.

Kylo put one hand under her chin, making her look up at him. Then, keeping his eyes connected to hers, he lay his lips onto hers.   
Sara wrapped her arms around his neck and that was all the sign he needed to deepen the kiss. The moment their tongues met, he felt like his body was on fire, the need to have her closer taking control of him, he pulled her as close as possible and ravished her mouth.

Sara was pliant against him, there was no doubt in her heart that this was Ben; his touches, his kisses, his smell – it was all exactly like she remembered. In that moment she didn't care if he was a trap to imprison her – they could kill her after that and she'd die happily.

They stopped kissing when breathing became extremely necessary.

"Do you want to go back to the party?" he asked her.

"No." she looked into his eyes – they were filled with desire just as hers. "Take me somewhere private." she whispered against his lips.

* * *

As soon as they walked into his room, Sara found herself being pushed against the wall, Kylo's hands lifting her dress, to caress her thighs. His movements fast and needy – as if he would die if he didn't feel her skin. Sara closed her eyes in complete ecstasy as he kissed and bit her neck, she was desperate to have him in her. He untied his cape from her shoulders and threw it away, quickly unzipping her dress on her back; she let it fall down her body and onto the floor, kicking it away from her feet. He looked at her, only a pair of black lace panties, a bra of the same pattern, and a necklace with a red stone ring adorned her body; his eyes lingered a bit too long on the necklace, innerving Sara, so she quickly pulled him to her, closing the distance between them, and started to unbuckle his large belt. He forgot about necklaces and rings and helped her pull his heavy vest and two layers of shirts off of his body. As his skin was revealed, she touched him – the same hard muscles she loved only they were harder and there were more of them, and he had scars on his chest that he didn't have before. She caressed his chest, down his stomach to the high waistband of his pants. She opened up his fly, licking her lips, staring up into his eyes – her gaze heavy with desire.

The anticipation was killing him, her touches and kisses were setting him on fire – the sight of her half-naked curvaceous body begging for his hands had him wanting to lift her against the wall and just thrust into her, fucking her until they were both satisfied. He watched her tongue dart out and lick her red lips and the need to have those lips around his dick made him shiver in desire.

She smiled and he took her mouth once more, his tongue dominating hers, one hand grabbing her ass and the other touching her pussy over the fabric of her panties – noticing how wet she was – making her whimper into his mouth. The moment his lips left hers, she kissed a path down his neck, teasing his nipples and going further down, kneeling in front of him as she kissed past his bellybutton.

Sara pulled his pants down and bit his dick through the fabric of his boxer briefs, noticing he smelled the same way she remembered, she pulled his underwear down and off his feet along with his pants and licked his hard member, his groan of pleasure was still the same she remembered. She sucked him the way she knew would drive him crazy.

Kylo braced both hands on the wall, surprised and elated at the way she simply knew exactly where to lick and suck and bite his dick to make him lose his mind. He wasn't going to last long and – as much as he wanted to fill her mouth up with his cum – he needed to fuck her, to have her under him. He pulled her up by her hair, taking her lips with his again as his hands worked fast to open her bra and reveal her full breasts to him. Once the bra was gone, he pulled her knickers down and off of her feet, then he grabbed her ass and hoisted her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist; and he carried her to his bed.

That feeling of being out of control was something he wasn't used to. And the desire that took him was also something unusual. His training made him develop incredible restraint; but seeing Sara naked on his bed was all his brain could process right then. He needed to fuck her, make her scream, bite her nipples – somehow he was sure she'd love that. He lay on top of her, opening her legs to accommodate his much larger body, and lowered his mouth to her nipples, biting one and pinching the other as he entered her body in a slow move of his hips. She moaned loud in response, her body arching and shivering in pleasure. He found a deep and steady pace that had them both taken by the pleasure of their coupling and nothing else. Every movement of his hips had her whimpering and moaning, as if her body knew his and answered to his every thrust, asking for more.

"Harder." She pleaded, her nails digging deep into the skin of his back, pulling him on top of her, completely lost in pleasure.

He feared he could hurt her, so he hesitated. Sara fisted his hair in one hand, making him look her in the eyes, she spoke breathlessly: "You won't hurt me. I need that pain. Make me feel you..."

And that was enough to reassure him. He took her hands, pinning them on the bed with the Force. She arched on the bed, offering her breasts for him, and he accepted – biting and pinching them again, as his hips began a demanding rhythm; she screamed and he felt her channel squeeze his dick as a strong orgasm took over her body, her lips parted and loud moans leaving them. His own climax was unstoppable now, he pounded into her with abandon and spilled his cum deep into her clenching pussy.

He moved to lay on her side but Sara used that moment to actually flip them over and sit on his lap, his dick still inside of her. He put his hands on her waist and she started to rotate her hips slowly, just enjoying the feeling of having him inside of her. Soon she was moving up and down, riding him just fast enough to keep both on an endless wave of pleasure. Every time he pinched her nipples, he felt her pussy get wetter and tighter. And he began to thrust upwards whenever she sat down on him; such movement making his dick hit deeper inside of her – and her moans letting him know she loved that.

Sara wanted to make that last forever, but she could feel an orgasm coming again, and the next time he pinched her nipples and thrust up so deep inside of her she lost it, almost screaming his name as she felt pleasure take control of her body. She fell onto his chest, and he flipped them over again, thrusting into her, fast and deep, cumming a few seconds later.

He kissed her lips, their breaths mingling as they both panted, she ran her hands through his sweaty hair and he was surprised to feel that he liked it. They kissed slowly until their breaths slowed down. Then he lay down beside her and had to stop himself from pulling her towards him. The way such action sounded normal to him had him shocked. He froze on the bed, his eyes on the ceiling.

Sara noticed there was something on his mind, something had scared him and he seemed to be deep in thought now.

She got up and started to get dressed, not bothering to fix her hair – everyone at the party had to be gossiping about them, so walking around with a messy braid wouldn't make any difference.

Soon Kylo followed her, getting up and dressed without saying a word.

He opened the door and she walked past him into the corridor. They walked into the ballroom and Sara found Lady Carise – a very tipsy Lady Carise.

"Oh, my dear! Look at your hair: you naughty girl!" said Carise, laughing at the way Sara blushed. "Such a professional Senator, but we're all brought to our knees when the pleasures of the flesh are involved, right?" She looked at Hux and pulled him to a kiss.

Sara's eyes got big on her face as she watched that scene, hiding her disgust with shock.

"Lady Carise, I'll be leaving now. Would you like to accompany me?" asked Sara.

"No. I'm staying." Declared Carise. "We'll have another dinner for the leaders of the planets we have already on our side in a few days. I'll catch a ride with you after that. You'll be here, right?"

Sara nodded, "Sure. It's an important dinner. I'll be here." She looked at Hux. "General, thank you for the amazing dinner and congratulations on being in charge of such an amazing base."

"You're welcome, Senator." He kissed her hand. "I'll count the minutes until I see you again. Maybe we can enjoy a few minutes alone ourselves next time."

Sara smiled, too disguested to politely answer to that, and turned around, leaving the ballroom and walking to her ship. She didn't see Kylo on her way out, but she could feel someone was watching her.

* * *

After making sure she wasn't being followed, Sara set course to Chandrilla and put the Mirrorbright on autopilot. Then she walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower – as she removed her dress, she noticed little marks on her skin, of his kisses and bites, all over her shoulders, hips and breasts. She closed her eyes and walked under the water spray, letting the tears ran freely with the water. _How could he be alive? _She asked herself._ And what has Snoke done to him to make him forget about us?_

She walked out of the bathroom and put on some clean jeans and a t-shirt. Her mind was in chaos, but her heart was filled with hope once again. 


	7. A Dangerous Plan

**Chandrilla**

Sara landed the Mirrorbright near the Falcon and looked outside at the beautiful landscape of that planet, the soft light of the sunrise made it look like something out of a dream; she walked into Leia's house through the back door.

"Good morning, Sara." greeted the kitchen droid.

"Good morning. Is Leia up already?"

"Yes, she is having breakfast with Mr. Solo in the dining room. You can join them and I'll bring you your favorite sandwich in a minute."

"Thank you!" and she walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room. "Good morning!" she greeted Han and Leia, smiling.

"Sara!" said Leia, getting up from her chair and walking towards her, "I'm so relieved to see you! I barely slept last night." she hugged her. "How was it?"

"It was better than we could possibly imagine." she held Leia's hands in hers and said, looking into her eyes: "I found Ben."

Leia frowned, "They have his body on the Starkiller?"

"No. I found him; alive." she looked at Han, smiling.

"What are you saying, my dear?" Leia sounded worried and glanced at her husband.

"Snoke took him, and he's now working for the First Order. He did something to Ben, though, because he didn't recognize me; I am sure he has no idea who he is."

"Are you sure it was him, dear?" Leia asked carefully. "We all felt him die..."

"Yes. It was him, we danced together..." she smiled. "We kissed and..." she closed her eyes, blushing as the memories filled her mind.

"Ok, we got it, kid." said Han, interrupting Sara. "Are you sure it was him?"

"Yes. I doubted it too, at first, I even thought it could be a trap. But now I'm sure."

Leia looked at her husband, worrying that Sara had lost her mind, then she looked at the young woman again, "Dear, we know it's been difficult for you, and you haven't moved on..."

"You don't believe me." Sara interrupted. "You think I've cracked after years of not getting over his death." Sara didn't sound angry, just sad.

The couple looked at each other before looking at her again, then Han spoke: "We are worried about you."

Sara started to feel annoyed by their disbelief. But the kitchen droid chose that moment to wheel into the room, bringing Sara's sandwich. She thanked it and sat down, in silence.

Leia sat down too, in front of Sara, and sighed, "I want to believe you, dear. The thought that my son could still be alive..." she shook her head, a small smile on her lips, as she allowed herself to believe it for a moment.

"He is." said Sara. "I am telling you: I was with him just four hours ago."

"I know how much you wish Ben was alive." Leia's eyes filled with tears. "It's painful for us too. Can you tell us you are absolutely sure the man you saw at the Base is our Ben?"

"Yes. Without a shadow of doubt."

The couple fell silent for a heavy moment.

"I heard once that the First Order was kidnapping kids and brainwashing them to work as troopers." said Han. "Maybe they did that to him..."

"We all felt him die!" Leia raised her voice.

"And that's the only part I still can't find an explanation to." said Sara. "But I saw him, Leia, I slept with him. I am certain Kylo Ren is our Ben!"

"I've heard that name." said Han. "He's the leader of the Knights of Ren."

"Yes. That's him." continued Sara, looking at Leia with hope that the woman was also beginning to accept what she was saying.

Leia looked from her husband to Sara and sighed heavily, "If he's alive, how will we bring him back to us?"

Sara felt instant relief, "I'll go back there in three days to pick up Carise. I'll try to talk to him, see if he tells me anything about how he ended up there." she took a bite of her sandwich. "Right now, I have to think; and I have a meeting in Hosnian Prime in eighteen hours so I need to rest. Can I stay?"

"Sure. Your room is ready for you, dear." said Leia.

And they finished breakfast in silence.

* * *

Sara took a shower and put on one of Ben's old sweaters; she walked out of the bathroom into his room – she always slept in there whenever she spent the night in the Organa-Solo house.

Letting her long curly hair fall from the ponytail she had tied it on, she stopped by the well-made bed and pulled the covers, sitting on the mattress and looking around the room, remembering how many times they had slept there together, made love, talked and laughed; that had also been the room where she had mourned his death. And all this time, he was alive. she chuckled, feeling tears run down her face. She wiped them off, opened her eyes and froze: Ben was right in front of her! She blinked, trying to get rid of that image but it wasn't a hallucination – she was actually seeing him.

Sara slowly got up from the bed and approached him. He seemed to be sitting on a bed, his image a little blurry. She couldn't help herself and called his name: "Ben." He moved his head up as if he had heard her, but when he looked around his eyes never once stopped on her direction. He could not see her, but it was clear he had heard her.

Sara tried calling him again and this time he raised his head towards her, but he still didn't focus on her.

Suddenly, he raised a hand to his head as if he had a headache. And, just as the communication had started, it ended.

Sara stood in place, too shaken to walk back to bed. The Force had found a way to connect them again, at least a little.

She found her way under the covers, eventually, and fell asleep.

* * *

When Sara woke up it was almost time for dinner, she walked into the living room, where Han and Leia were.

"Good evening." she sat beside Leia on the couch and spoke: "I saw Ben through the Force, as I was getting ready for bed."

Leia looked up at her. "My dear, you..."

"I saw him last night at the Base and again as I was getting ready for bed." Sara insisted. "He could hear me but he couldn't see me. Also, he seemed to be in pain after a moment." she paused. "Whatever they did to him, the Force still tried to connect us."

"I've decided to believe in you, Sara, and I will." said Leia, although her expression betrayed her words. "Just be careful. If the man you say is Ben is under Snoke's control, he could attack you."

"I know. But I need to try." she kneeled by Leia's feet, taking her hands. "If you had seen him, Leia, you'd be as desperate as I am. To know that he is alive, and may be suffering inside, fighting Snoke's control... I must do something! I love your son, you know that, nothing will stop me from saving him if I have a chance."

Leia nodded, "I know. And I hope you're right. But I don't want to lose you too."

* * *

**Three days later**

**Second time in the Starkiller Base**

Sara landed the Mirrorbright inside the hangar bay and decided not to dress up for the formal dinner. She could use her jeans and sweater as an excuse to not attend the dinner party. She opened the door and walked out of the ship, noticing Hux was waiting for her.

"Senator." He said, walking to her and pulling her to a sudden hug. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, General." she politely replied, taking a step back to avoid having his hands on her again. "Where's Lady Carise?"

"She's already at the party." He motioned for her to follow him and they began to walk out of the hangar, towards the ballroom. "Many Senators have already arrived and she's taken the responsibility of entertaining them to herself."

Sara smiled, looking around discreetly, trying to see Kylo. "I'm not properly dressed to attend your dinner tonight, General Hux."

"Nonsense. I've never seen more proper jeans and sweater," he looked at her lustfully.

Sara felt uncomfortable and disgusted by his gaze.

Suddenly, two stormtroopers ran towards them.

"General! We have an unidentified x-wing flying too close to the base."

"I'll go check it." he nodded to the troopers and turned to Sara. "Please, go on to the party without me, dear."

"Sure. I remember the way to the ballroom."

Then he walked away and Sara let out a relieved breath – walking with Hux close to her made her shiver in disgust. She walked slowly towards the ballroom, for just the thought of having to spend another night dining with the Centrists had her wanting to gag. Suddenly she felt someone hold her left arm and pull her into a room.

She was ready to use the Force to freeze her abductor when she saw who it was: "Kylo." she said, barely stopping herself from calling him Ben.

He frowned for a second – thinking how his name sounded wrong leaving her lips. Then he spoke: "I'd like to apologize for the way I behaved after our encounter, last time you were here."

"Oh. Sure." She just looked at him, drinking from his image – the face she loved, the lips she wanted to kiss, the voice she had dreamed of hearing again for so many years.

"Can I accompany you to the ballroom?" He asked.

"Yes. Is there a long way around it?"

He smiled. "Yes." and they began to walk down the corridor, side-by-side. "You're an alderaanian Senator," he said, making conversation, "Where were you born?"

"In the alderaanian space station." She answered, glad he had started a more personal conversation for she had questions of her own.

"Where is that?"

"You... don't know about it?" she glanced at him, frowning. "It was built from the remains of the first Death Star, it is in the same coordinates the planet once was. You didn't learn that in school?"

"Probably, but I lost my memories in an accident three years ago."

And that had Sara looking at him with interest.

"Really? You lost all your memories in an accident?"

"Yes. The ship I was travelling with my family crashed on Rakata Prime." he explained. "Supreme Leader Snoke found me through the Force and saved me."

Sara had to bite her tongue to not say anything.

"And your family?" She asked instead.

"They all died."

"That's horrible. My condolences."

"Thank you." he politely replied. "I remember things sometimes, though."

Sara raised her eyebrows, really interested in that. "How so?"

"I remember that my mother was very kind, my father adored ships, and there was a beautiful young woman – who I suppose was my girlfriend; she died as well. I remember feeling good near her, but I can't remember her face. Or my parents' faces. I remember situations sometimes, like dinners, places... but it's all a mess."

Sara fell silent, not knowing what to say.

After a few corridors, Kylo stopped, holding her arm.

"If we turn left here, we'll go to the party. If we turn right, we'll go to my quarters." he said.

Sara didn't have to think, she closed the distance between them and looked up into his eyes saying: "Right it is then."

And they walked to his room.

* * *

Kylo opened the door with his password and she walked in, he followed her and, as soon as the door closed, she felt him put both his hands on her waist, pulling her to him, her back to his chest. He kissed her neck as his hands raised her sweater and shirt, taking them off of her body.

"Do you always braid your hair?" he asked against her ear.

"Yes. It's an alderaanian tradition." she whispered.

"And the ring?" he asked, touching between her breasts.

"A gift." she replied breathlessly.

He turned her around to face him and took her lips, his hands grabbing her ass as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His tongue caressed hers with purpose, dominating her mouth, holding her as close to him as physically possible. They walked towards his bed, never stopping the kiss; Sara fell on her ass onto the bed and her hands quickly moved to his belt.

"Why do you wear so many layers?" she complained.

He smiled and helped her open up his belt and remove his three layers of shirts. She licked his abs and opened his pants, quickly pulling them down along with his underwear, she had his hard dick in her mouth before his pants had reached the floor.

"How do you know how to suck me so perfectly?" he groaned, one hand fisting in her hair. "I'll have to return the favor tonight." and he saw how her eyes got darker with desire at the thought of having him licking her. "I can't wait to have you creaming on my tongue."

And his dirty words had a visible effect on her, she closed her eyes and sucked on him harder, her hands tugging on his balls. He let her suck him for a few minutes, until he couldn't take it anymore. Then he pulled on her hair, forcing her head backwards and he pushed her onto the bed, opening her pants and pulling them off of her. The red bra and panties she had on were a perfect match to her skin and to that interesting ring she wore on her necklace. "Undress for me." he ordered.

Sara felt her whole body shake in desire, hearing him bossing her around on the bed was her biggest turn on; she raised her ass from the bed and pulled her panties down her legs, crossing them after she threw the panties at him, smiling mischievously. She unclasped and removed her bra next, also throwing it at him. Kylo kneeled on the bed and put his hands on her crossed knees, trying to open up her legs. She resisted. He looked at her, trying to see if she was regretting that or just playing with him. The naughty smile on her lips let him know for sure she was just playing hard to get. So he stopped trying to pry her legs open and pulled them up instead, towards her breasts, quickly penetrating her dripping pussy. She shouted in pleasure, her body trembling as he thrusted into her deep and fast. She opened her legs, wrapping them around his waist, pulling him deeper and on top of her. He took her lips passionately, holding her hands in his and pining them on the bed as he gave her nothing but pleasure. He left her mouth to torture her nipples and soon she was cumming under him, her pussy squeezing his dick deliciously as she uttered pleasurable moans. He put his dick deep inside of her and stopped moving, kissing her lips again, slowly, letting her recover from the heights of her orgasm.

But soon she started moving her hips; he ignored her attempts to have him move and kissed down her neck, giving attention to her nipples briefly, he removed his dick from her pussy and continued his path downwards, until he was finally facing her entrance, she had trimmed her pubic hair so it was possible to see the lips of her pussy glistening from so much moisture. She smelled clean; he opened her and delved his tongue into her, licking her folds as he would an ice cream. Sara sighed and moved her hips against his face; he made her stop by gripping her hips hard.

"I'm eating this pussy on my own pace."

"I need more." she panted.

He used the Force to lock her hands on the bed on each side of her head and put two fingers inside of her pussy, licking around her opening and up to her clit occasionally. She moaned loudly, her delicious body completely at his disposal – his to pleasure. Soon he noticed one spot right at her opening that made her tremble every time he caressed it, so he was careful to never miss it, and that was how he had her cumming on his tongue in no time. The sudden feeling of her hands on his hair and the way she clenched around is fingers, as a big amount of moisture spilled from her pussy, had him even more turned on. He flipped her onto her stomach, bringing her ass up, he rubbed his thumb between her nether lips, gathering some of her natural lubrication on his finger to play with her asshole. The way she shivered and moaned had him certain she loved that. He rubbed his dick on her pussy and thrust into her, holding her hips with one hand as he used the other to tease her rear entrance. As he pressed just the pad of his thumb against her hole, he felt the walls of her pussy convulse and her whimpers turned into screams of pleasure; he kept fucking her climaxing channel until his own orgasm surged savagely and he filled her up with his cum.

Sara fell onto her stomach on the bed and he fell on top of her, kissing her shoulder and neck, she turned around and caressed his face, kissing him lazily, touching her tongue to his, as if savoring his taste.

Suddenly he stopped the kiss, looking at her with a frown and asking: "How did you do _that_?"

She seemed confused, "_That_ what?"

Kylo expression suddenly screamed suspicion, he sat on the bed, looking at her in silence for a while until he spoke, accusingly: "You got your hands free from my Force-hold." and he noticed the moment Sara realized she had really done that. "You're Force-sensitive!" He said, quickly grabbing her face roughly, making her look at him: "No. You're Jedi." He sounded disgusted.

Sara felt a change in the room's energy as he began to get angrier. "You've been manipulating me. You're the reason I've been having worse headaches and questioning Leader Snoke: you are getting into my head!" he never shouted but his voice was filled with rage: "How low of the Resistance, to send a Jedi to get into my bed and try to mess with my head." he moved his hand to her throat and Sara put her own hand on his wrist, using the Force to burn him and make him let go of her. It worked, but it'd also confirmed his accusation. She got out of the bed as quickly as possible and looked at him, trying to think of what to say to him.

"Get out of here." he ordered, looking at his burned skin.

"You must hear me out..." she began.

"No! I'm not listening to a word you say!" he stood up, getting close to her. "Don't come back here."

"I can't promise that." she had tears in her eyes. "I will come back, I won't give up on you. I've already felt you die once, I won't walk away from you when I know you're alive!" She was nearly shouting.

"I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth." his voice sounded cruel. "Get. Out. Of. Here!"

Sara picked up her pants, sweater and shirt, getting dressed in silence; she was trying to think of something, but nothing came to her mind. Once she was dressed, she asked: "Will you tell Snoke?"

Kylo looked at her for a while, his mind was telling him he had to, but for some reason it felt wrong to tell Snoke about her. "No." he finally said, "If I did that, I'd be admitting I was weak enough to fall for such low tactics. Next time you're here, don't even look at me. And I'll certainly keep an eye on you."

A tear rolled down her face, and he could feel the enormous sadness that was emanating from her. She nodded and walked to the door, stopping there just long enough to say: "You told me Snoke saved you; but did he, though? Maybe you should look into that crash." and she left, luckily reaching the Mirrorbright without bumping into Hux or Carise.

* * *

Once the door of his room closed behind her, Kylo paced for what seemed like hours, his thoughts as chaotic as ever; he knew he shouldn't have paid attention to Sara's words, but she had sounded honest and true. Her words kept playing in his head: "I will come back, I won't give up on you... I've already felt you die." which only confused him and made his headaches worsen. As he was pacing the room, he found her undergarments on the floor by the bed, her panties and bra, he brought both up to his nose, she had bewitched him somehow, the intense feelings he had towards her weren't normal. He put both pieces of clothing into a drawer and went to the bathroom to shower. He changed into comfortable pants and a t-shirt and lay on his bed, the smell on his sheets reminding him of what had happened there less than an hour ago. _Sara._ She'd felt so good; kissing and fucking her had been delicious, her body felt perfect against his. He closed his eyes, letting the memories of her moans take control of his mind; but he quickly opened them again when he heard something – a name being called. He sat up and looked around the room, there was nothing and no one there but him. But he was almost certain he had heard something – and it wasn't the first time he had had such impression. He walked around the room, but there was no one there. He was ready to lay back on his bed when a strong headache suddenly began. He took a couple of painkillers and lay down on the bed. Before he had completely fallen asleep a dream began – and Sara was in it.

* * *

Sara took the Mirrorbright out of the Starkiller's hangar bay as fast as possible, and only relaxed two hyperspace jumps later, once she was finally convinced no one was following her.  
She sat inside her ship, letting it travel through space without an actual course. Guilt, fear and sorrow ate her up inside. How could she have been so stupid to let her guard down that way? Leia would be beyond furious if she knew the enormity of the risk Sara had just put herself through. Had Ben wanted, he could've killed her, or given her to Snoke, or told Hux about her. Any one of those possibilities would've had the same end: her death. And that was something that, strangely, gave her hope: he could've gotten her dead, and instead he didn't. He had let her go, and he wasn't going to tell anyone about her.

Sara tried to watch the HoloNet but nothing caught her attention, her mind was too busy to focus on anything; she sat on the rug in the living room and decided to meditate; she took two deep breaths, finally beginning to feel like herself again, then she started to feel something, an energy, a familiar energy; she opened her eyes and there he was again: lying on his bed – the same bed they had made love about an hour ago. She couldn't stop herself so she called his name: "Ben." And just like the first time, he raised his head, but he couldn't see her. She watched him get up and walk around his room but never once he walked in her direction. She saw him touch his head and realized he was having a headache again so she severed the connection.

* * *

When Kylo woke up the next morning his head was heavy, a terrible migraine was making him dread even moving his head. He took two pills and waited for the medicine to take effect, then he got up to get ready for another day.

* * *

Sara was awakened by the insistent ringing of her phone.

"Hello." she answered, sitting up on her bed.

"Sara!" it was Leia. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the Mirrorbright." she stood up and checked a monitor inside her room, "Somewhere around Coruscant." she walked out of the room into the living area.

"What happened? Why didn't you come home?"

"I had a problem." she sat on the sofa and decided to tell Leia what had happened, "Kylo... Ben found out I'm a Jedi. And he wasn't happy about it, to say the least."

"Did he hurt you? Did anyone hurt you?" Leia sounded worried.

"No. He let me go."

"What? Why?" She asked, confused.

"I'm not sure. But that tells me I can't give up on him."

"Sara..."

"No! He could've killed me, Leia, given me up to Snoke or Hux, but he didn't! He just let me leave. I'll find a way to bring him back. He told me a story of how he was saved by Snoke from a ship wreckage on Rakata Prime; and he lost all his memories in that accident. He is remembering things, Leia. He told me that he can, sometimes, remember places and people... but no names or faces. He's been having headaches and I think I'm the reason – because he said they've gotten worse after he met me."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I need to go see Master Luke."

"Do you know where he is?" asked Leia.

"Yes, I have always known and I need to talk to him. I saw Ben a few hours ago, before going to sleep, as I was meditating. Just like the first time, he heard me but he couldn't see me. And after a while it looked like he had a headache." She hesitated. "I'm afraid these headaches could mean he's recovering his memories, but I'm not sure how safe that is..." she sighed heavily. "Master Luke can ask the dead Jedi Masters for help."

"Why have you never told us where he is?" Leia sounded a bit hurt.

"He asked me not to tell anyone. I went there to train with him after Ben's death. I'll go back to tell him I've found Ben alive and ask him and the ancients for clearance and guidance."

Leia shook her head and sighed heavily, deciding that arguing would be useless, she simply said: "Keep in touch, dear. Let me know you're alive."

* * *

Sara landed in Ahch-To and was greeted by the keepers of the island with lots of hugs and kisses. They walked her to Luke's hut and she knocked.

"My dear, Sara!" he exclaimed. "I'm happy to see you!" he hugged her.

"Good to see you too, Master."

He noticed there was something on her mind, "You look worried, what brings you here?"

"I found Ben."

Luke stared at her, in disbelief. "But..."

"Yes, we all felt him die." she interrupted him. "But I saw him, I spoke to him. We even..." she stopped. "Well, you know. Only he doesn't remember me, or us, or anything about his past. Also, the Force seems unable to restore our connection... his energy is locked."

"You weren't able to connect with him? At all?" it was Luke's turn to be worried.

"No." she shook her head. "He thinks his name is Kylo and that Snoke saved him from a terrible accident that killed his whole family."

"Considering the nature of your bond – being that it was forged by the Force itself, that's not good... he should have felt something."

"I know." she sat on a large rock near Luke's hut. "I've been with him twice already, and in both times I tried to connect with him and nothing; well, nothing apart from desire. And he said he has the strange impulse of being nice to me." she looked at the sea, feeling the peace that place had. "It was as if his energy was locked away behind a wall." she frowned. "He didn't even acknowledge I was trying to reach him."

"What you're telling me is worrisome, dear."

"Yes. That's why I'm here: I need your help."

* * *

**In the Starkiller**

The weird headache that had begun the previous day still lingered, annoyingly persistent no matter how many pills he took. It wasn't normal. Kylo was used to getting headaches, occasionally – weekly even – but nothing that two or three painkillers couldn't solve. Only not this time. He could sense those weren't regular headaches, he had started to feel like there was something locked away inside his mind that was trying to get out. Medicine didn't help, a shower didn't help, no amount of meditation eased it. All that was left was to sleep.

He lay down and closed his eyes, his tired mind and body finally relaxing, and when he closed his eyes, he felt the pain decrease. As soon as sleep claimed him, a dream began – a good dream again; Sara was in it, again, she had on a beautiful white nightgown and was preparing what looked like breakfast inside a very expensive-looking kitchen. He walked to her and she smiled. "Good morning, Ben." she said. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she melted against his body, welcoming his embrace. "Morning, pet." he replied, kissing her neck, feeling the swell of her ass rubbing against his pajama-pants covered dick. He felt at home, loved and happy – like he didn't remember ever being before. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. He took the chance to kiss her, pulling her body closer to his. It felt so good and real, he could smell the bacon she was frying and the caf she had brewed. He held her waist and made her sit on the counter, he kissed her neck and down between her breasts, noticing there was no ring on a necklace around her neck. _Of course there isn't, I haven't given it to her yet._ He thought, feeling dizzy.

Suddenly, Kylo opened his eyes, looking to the ceiling of his room, his body still frozen on the bed, his breath accelerated, heart beating fast. He knew he had dreamt something, he remembered the kitchen and Sara and her white nightgown, but the end of the dream was lost to him – whatever had happened then had been important. He breathed out, slowly, trying to relax his body. When he felt he could move again, he sat up on the bed, still wondering what had happened to make him wake up so distraught; and deciding he really needed to investigate the crash that killed his family on Rakata Prime.

* * *

**Ahch-To**

Sarah followed Master Luke uphill to the old Temple inside the mountain. The silence there was incredible. That had been the place where she had met and befriended the most unlikely character to be friends with in the entire history of the Galaxy.

"Sara." she heard Anakin Skywalker greet her the moment she stepped inside the cavernous temple.

"Hello, friend." she replied with a smile.

"What brings you back here?" Anakin asked.

"Ben. He's alive." she replied.

"No." said Anakin, frowning. "I'd know if he were alive. The Force would know if he were..."

"That's where things get weird." She said, "I saw him, talked to him, even fucked him. That man is my Ben, he is alive."

They fell into silence; the only sound was the dripping of water from the ceiling.

"Alive, you say he is." suddenly they heard Master Yoda speak as he appeared out of nowhere beside Anakin.

"Yes, Master." she replied politely.

"Hm. Interesting. Reconnect with him, you did?"

"No. I couldn't. His energy was blocked. As much as I tried, I couldn't reach it."

"So, the explanation you already have." said Yoda. "Being kept apart from the Force he has..."

"But he's been using the Force..." Sara said, confused.

"Yes. There is a way." said Anakin nodding. "If Snoke blocked Ben's Force energy from us but found a way for him to keep using it through Snoke's own energy, we wouldn't know... anyway, it would have to be a very strong Force-blockage."

"Can we reverse it?" she asked, her heart pounding inside her chest. "His memories are gone too." said Sara. "And he's been having headaches."

"Impossible it is not." Said Yoda.

"Love is the most powerful emotion, and it is connected deeply to our memories. Your presence may have started to undo Snoke's work." explained Luke.

"Is it safe? For him? What if Snoke put something in Ben's mind that if he ever remembers anything he will die?" asked Sara, concerned.

"That's possible." agreed Luke.

"Yes. I'll try to check on him." said Anakin. "Sara, can I use your memories to try to locate Ben?"

She quickly nodded and sat onto the ground, feeling when Anakin put one hand on her shoulder, the touch something like a warm pressure on her skin, and closed his eyes.

"I can sense him, somewhat – his energy is very faintly available to me." said Anakin. "But, yes, Ben is alive. That is him." he said, opening his eyes and looking at Sara.

"How do we help him? How can I bring him back to us?" she was on the verge of tears.

"Lost, he is not." said Yoda. "Time is needed to heal and remember."

"But how can I help him?" she was getting angry at Yoda's vague answers.

"Be close. Your bond all will do." Yoda paused and smiled. "Love, what a weapon it is. Ruin someone it can, but save too."

"And the headaches?" she knew her annoyance was clear in her voice now.

"That's probably his memories returning, and his own energy fighting whatever Snoke's done to keep it locked away." explained Anakin.

"So I must return to the Starkiller Base." said Sara.

"Yes." confirmed Anakin. "And, remember, if you're ever in danger, I'll be there."

"Thank you." she replied. "I really appreciate your protection."

And both Force-ghosts disappeared.


	8. Maybe Not That Dangerous

**Two days later**

**Hosnian Prime**

It was 6:30 a.m. when Sara got up and dressed in her favorite dark blue dress; that day there was going to be an important Senate gathering to vote a bill that would ensure the Resistance would receive more money to continue its opposition to the First Order domination of smaller planets. In the last two days, Sara had had conversations with many Senators whose votes were still unknown, and she'd planted in their minds the idea that they should vote in favor of the Resistance.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror: make up was perfect, her pin with the Alderaan symbol was on her chest, all that remained to be done was her braid. She braided her hair and took another look at herself; satisfied with her looks, she walked to the dining room to have breakfast.

Being alone in the apartment always felt relaxing and oppressing at the same time; she loved the silence but it also reminded her that Ben wasn't there.

She finished breakfast, put her high heels on her feet and her lightsaber in her thigh holster; she was about to leave the apartment when someone knocked on the door. She didn't wait for one of the droids to open it, she opened it herself.

"General Hux." she greeted trying to hide her shock, her mind going straight to her last encounter with Kylo, wondering if he had said anything to the General. "What do I owe the honor of your presence here? Please, come in."

"Thank you, Senator; we've decided to come personally to watch the voting. As small as the Resistance is compared to us, they are an annoying bug that we'd like to see exterminated. So, I hope that today the Senators vote against this absurd bill that would give the rebels more money."

"Yes. I've been talking to the indecisive Senators, but I am not so optimistic about today's results, General."

"Let's hope you're wrong, Senator. Otherwise..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a dark figure appeared by the still open door of the apartment. Kylo wore full attire: gloves, belt, boots, lightsaber on his waist and helmet. Sara looked at him with a smile but her eyes promised a fight, she discreetly touched her saber on her thigh, showing him that she was armed. "Welcome, Mr. Ren." She turned to Hux again. "Will you be staying for lunch?"

"No, Lady Carise and I will enjoy a one-a-one time together after the voting." he smiled, then he noticed she looked ready to leave, "Is this a bad moment?" he tried to be polite.

"No. Not at all. I was on my way out. The Senate gathering starts in less than 30 minutes. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Thank you, but I'll be watching it from Lady Carise's booth," he looked at Kylo. "You?"

"I'll be with Senator Antilles."

"Of course you will." Said Hux leaving the apartment, after bowing his head respectfully at Sara, and closing the door after he left.

Then Sara and Kylo were alone in the apartment. Neither one moved, they just stared at each other, the air thick with tension, a long and heavy silence demanding to be ended.

Kylo removed his helmet and looked around the living room, furrowing his brow.

Sara had had enough of that silent treatment, so she asked: "You haven't told Hux about me. So what are you doing here?"

"Hux said he was coming to see Carise and pay you a visit. I decided to accompany him, it could be dangerous."

"You hate him. Why would you care if he were in danger?"

Kylo made a face as if it pained him to admit the real reason he had gone there. "He said he'd be visiting you." He repeated, trying to make her understand.

Sara raised her eyebrows understanding: "You were jealous! You didn't want him near me alone so you came here as a primitive male to piss all over me." She sounded amused – and it made him angry.

He didn't reply, his eyes still traveling around the apartment.

Sara sighed. "Look, I have to go to the Senate. Will you really sit during the voting with me?"

"Yes." He put his helmet back on and followed her outside.

* * *

The meeting was long and boring – as predicted. And the new bill to send money to the Resistance passed. Sara was glad to see that all the Senators she'd influenced had done as she had asked and voted in favor of the Resistance. She voted against the bill but she had convinced enough Senators to vote for it to make sure her vote wouldn't be missed.

Kylo didn't say a word since they had left her apartment, he simply acted like a tall menacing shadow following her around the Senate building in silence, scaring everyone; people that would normally talk to Sara barely looked her way.

He followed her outside, as she preferred to walk instead of using a landspeeder to go back to her apartment. Once they reached a quieter street, he finally spoke to her again: "You must be happy. The Resistance will be getting more money to try and fight us."

Sara smiled. "In fact, I am. That's what I've been working for in the past two days. Convincing all those Senators to vote how I wanted them to vote was not an easy task. I'm glad my hard work paid off."

"You use the Force to convince them." He realized, sounding a bit surprised.

She didn't reply.

They reached her building and got the elevator to her floor. They entered the apartment and she saw him touch his forehead the moment he removed the helmet.

"Does it give you a headache?" she pointed to the helmet.

"No, you do." He sounded annoyed, dropping the helmet on the white couch. "You keep trying to enter my mind, it's very irritating."

She looked surprised. "I'm not doing anything."

"Don't even try to deny it." He rudely replied.

And Sara stopped talking, taking a deep breath to stop herself from speaking too much – she had to be careful, for she still feared that, if he remembered everything too suddenly, he could be harmed.

"Have you looked up the crash?" she asked.

"Yes. I've hired an investigator."

"And?"

"So far, nothing. He didn't find anything about any crashes. I'll be going there myself tomorrow." he reached inside his pocket and retrieved two pills, taking them dry.

She turned around and walked to the kitchen, where two droids were busy preparing lunch.

"Everything's in order?" she asked.

"Yes, dear. Lunch will be served right on time." Replied one of the service droids.

She smiled and walked behind each droid, opening their control panels on the back of their heads and changing their emergency protocol, just in case they recognized Ben and tried to call Leia; then she walked back into the living room, where Kylo was standing beside the couch, looking around, his brow furrowed.

"Lunch will be ready soon." She said casually.

But he didn't answer, it seemed he hadn't even heard her. "This place looks familiar." he murmured.

"It should be." she replied.

"Why?"

She sighed, "Go to Rakata, it won't make any difference if I tell you – you won't believe me and your headaches might get worse." she pointed to the couch, "Have a seat, if you'll wait for Hux here, we might as well get comfortable." she removed her high heels and walked barefoot to a cabinet, picking up a bottle of liquor. "Do you want some?" she offered.

"Yes." he replied, sitting on the couch.

She poured two glasses and made one levitate towards him; showing off and teasing him. He didn't say anything, just glancing at her as he picked up the glass.

"So, you've made it very clear when I arrived that you're armed. May I know what you're carrying?"

Sara brought her glass to her lips and drank all of its content at once, needing the alcohol to relax and allow her to be a bit reckless; then she walked towards him, without saying a word, and put her right foot on his thigh, "Why don't you check it out for yourself?"

He looked surprised and annoyed – his body promptly responding to her advances, even though his mind told him to stay away from her. He hesitated but his desire and curiosity won, so he put his hand on her calf, caressing her skin up her leg, over her knee and under her dress, reaching her thigh and finding her weapon. "A lightsaber." he said, unimpressed as if he had expected exactly that.

"Take it." she ordered.

He did, slowly bringing it to his eyes, analyzing its hilt, impressed at how clean it looked. "It's so light." he remarked, looking from the saber to her face – she never moved her leg from his. "What color is it?"

"Turn it on." she said, smiling as if she was having a lot of fun at his expense.

He hesitated for a second, but ignited it, eventually, "White." he was legitimately impressed now. He moved it to one side then the other, enjoying yielding a stable lightsaber for once. He decided to frighten her, moving the weapon close to her side, the blade almost touching her waist, but she didn't even flinch; so he kept it there and looked up at her, his tone casual, "Aren't you afraid? I could use your own lightsaber to kill you right here and now." He moved it even closer to her waist, she could feel the heat on her skin.

"Will you?" she asked, not a hint of fear in her voice.

He averted his eyes, looking immediately annoyed. Sara laughed and removed her leg from his lap, walking back to the cabinet, pouring another glass of liquor for herself. She felt a change in the room, and turned around just in time to catch her lightsaber – which he had thrown at her unannounced.

"How good are you, I wonder?" she said, twirling her lightsaber in her hand.

He finished his drink and looked at her.

"You already know." he replied, insinuating something other than swordfighting.

She smiled and raised her hand, suddenly calling his lightsaber to herself; it went smoothly, shocking him. She turned it on. "Wow, this is really cool." she looked at the red crossguard blade with awe. "How did you make it turn red?" she turned it off and analyzed its hilt; "It's heavy." she opened up a compartment and discovered the answer to her question: "A rol stone." she whispered, finding the small stone close to his main crystal. "And your main kyber crystal doesn't like it, that's why it is unstable and makes so much noise."

He got up and walked to her, not liking that she had got his weapon so easily. "I know."

"So your crystal is not corrupted... you know what that means, right?" she gave his lightsaber back to him.

He didn't reply.

* * *

They had lunch together mostly in silence.

Sara didn't push to make him remember anything; his headache had finally subsided, she didn't want to make him suffer again. Just having him in the apartment was enough for her, for now.

* * *

She sat on the couch after lunch, a book on her lap. Kylo stood near a windown, just watching her read for a while; she fascinated him, he wanted to know more about her, hold her close, kiss her; he had the strange need to stay close to her. After struggling with that desire for a while, he gave up and walked to the couch, touching her book, "_The YT Series' Responsible Owner_." he read its title before sitting beside her, "You read about ships?"

"Yes. I take really good care of Mirrorbright." she not even looked up at him. "I respect her."

Her unusual indifference annoyed him; he could tell she was ignoring him on purpose.

* * *

Sara kept on reading; ignoring him was not easy but she did it to annoy him. He had gone there to stop Hux from trying anything with her (as if she would ever let Hux touch her), and that possessive attitude elated her but she could tell it made him angry at himself – and she found out she loved to see him struggle with his feelings for her. She kept on ignoring him, even when he sat really close to her, she remained silent, pretending to read – something that had become hard with him so close to her. After a few more minutes of silence, Sara felt something cold against her leg.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, watching as he caressed her leg upwards with his lightsaber's hilt.

"How good are you?" he asked softly.

"You already know," she gave him his answer back, looking back at her book.

Then he jumped up from the couch, turned his lightsaber on, and got the red noisy blade really close to her neck. Sara raised her chin, closing her book and looking at him.

"How good are you?" he repeated.

"Do you really want to know?"

He moved his lightsaber dangerously close to her neck in response – she could feel the heat on her skin now.

In one single perfect movement, Sara escaped from under his saber, called her own lightsaber to herself and pushed Kylo, making him fall on the couch – his lightsaber leaving a burnt mark on the white leather. But he quickly recovered and walked towards her; Sara pushed the dining room table to the far wall with a movement of her hand, giving them enough space to duel; they circled each other.

"No serious injuring." she said. "No killing each other. And no amputations."

Kylo nodded and attacked her with all his strength, his lightsaber hitting hers and sparks flying; she defended herself really well, while he kept on attacking her again and again, but she always knew how to protect from his blows. She played with him for a while, defending herself and never attacking him, smiling as she watched him struggle to defeat her; suddenly she ran from him, jumping onto the couch, laughing.

She was enjoying that a lot, while he was getting angrier by the minute – she was good, he had to admit it, too fast for him and really dexterous; she jumped from the couch on top of him – not giving him time to study her battle style – and aimed at his arm, letting her blade softly kiss his skin, burning him through the fabric of his long-sleeved shirt, but not seriously wounding him. He shouted and she ran from him again, to the couch. He looked at his arm, the wound was superficial, but the burnt torn fabric annoyed him and hindered his moves. So he quickly removed his three layers of shirts and raised his hand towards her, using the Force on her legs, making her fall onto the couch.

"Hey! That's cheating!" She exclaimed, getting up quickly and eying his naked chest, enjoying the view. "We didn't agree on using the Force!"

"You're neither seriously injured nor dead, and haven't lost any members – therefore, I'm following the rules." he said with a smile.

"Two can play dirty, you know?" she replied, pointing her lightsaber at him again and walking closer.

"I very well doubt it; never heard of a Jedi playing dirty." he teased her, twirling his saber, starting to enjoy that.

Sara looked at him and it was her turn to raise her hand, focusing her energy. Kylo waited to see what she would do, then he felt it: his legs were frozen, his whole body was suddenly numb – he couldn't move. She smiled and called his saber to her and, again, it went easily just like before. "Is this dirty enough for you?" she walked close to him, her lightsaber pointing at him, getting really close to his throat. She looked into his eyes, he looked a little scared. "I'm the last person you have to fear, you know? I'd never kill you." she lowered her lightsaber, letting its tip burn the floor; then she closed the space between them completely, her body touching his, she turned off her lightsaber and kissed his neck, making a path of bites and kisses up to his mouth; she looked into his eyes and got on the tip of her toes, kissing his lips, biting his bottom one.   
She closed her eyes and sighed, "Sorry for taking advantage of you." she looked into his eyes again – the fear had given place to desire. "I know you don't want me getting into you head." she made quotations marks with her fingers. "Even though I'm not." she kissed him again. "I'm gonna let you go now." and she took two steps back and freed him from the full body force-hold, reaching out his lightsaber to him.

The moment he could feel his body again, Kylo quickly moved close to her and took both his and her lightsabers from her hands, throwing them onto the couch; he wrapped one arm around her waist and fisted her hair with his other hand, taking her lips almost violently.

Sara responded to his assault with the same intensity; her hands grabbing onto his hair and shoulders. He pulled her against the nearest wall, lifted her dress and grabbed her ass, hoisting her up and making her wrap her legs around his waist. He never let her lips part from his, stealing her breath, as he one-handedly opened up his fly and ripped her panties off of her body, throwing the wet torn piece of fabric onto the floor; then he impaled her on his dick, pushing her against the wall, letting her lips go to bite her neck. Sara screamed, a mix of pain and pleasure taking her into a strong orgasm by his third thrust.

"Room?" he growled.

"Second door... down the corridor." she panted, kissing his lips, asking for more.

He walked there with her still in his arms, his dick slipping from her soaked pussy.

Once in here, he dropped Sara onto the bed, summoning his lightsaber from the other room. He turned it on and pointed it at her neck, she arched, exposing more of her neck to him, completely unafraid; "Don't move." he ordered, touching the noisy red blade against the fabric of her dark blue dress, just enough for it to burn the fabric but not her skin.

Sara could hear its crackling noises and feel the heat of the lightsaber going down between her breasts, burning her dress, her bra, but never hurting her. Once the dress was parted in two, Kylo turned the lightsaber off, threw it onto the floor, removed his pants and underwear, and lay down on top of her, between her legs, finding his way into her body once again. He took her mouth, kissing her as savagely as he moved his hips, one hand holding her by the hair as the other pinched her nipples. Her moans increased and she arched on the bed, exposing her neck; he bit her, feeling how the added pain brought her faster to the total bliss; she screamed and her pussy clenched around his dick, making it impossible for him to stop his own orgasm; he pounded into her until every last drop of cum had left his body. Once he stopped cumming, he stayed deep inside her, kissing her lips slowly, enjoying her body, needing to understand why he felt so desperate and out of control when he was close to her. He started to move his hips again.

She gasped softly, responding to his deep and slow thrusts with small moans.

"Why?" she whispered. "You kicked me out..."

"I don't know." he replied, not wanting to think about his feelings right then, speeding up his thrusts, loving the way she moaned and shivered under him.

He locked her hands over her head with the Force, ordering: "Keep them there." and bit her nipples, feeling her pussy spasm with every bite of his on her sensitive breasts. He kissed her skin, licking her neck, biting her, taking her lips, his tongue dancing with hers in the same rhythm his dick fucked her pussy. And soon he had her screaming and cumming again.

"I could keep fucking you all day long." he said, moving his hips slow and deep, as she still shivered in pleasure under him.

"Do it." she breathed out.

He got his dick out of her and flipped her onto her stomach, raising her ass up and penetrating her dripping pussy again.

* * *

Kylo woke up in the middle of the night, looking around the room; it took him a minute to remember where he was. He looked to his left and saw Sara, sleeping peacefully on her stomach, the duvet covering her naked body only from the waist down. He turned onto his side to stare at her. She was a mystery – somehow she had known him in the past, she even said she had felt him die once – but he couldn't remember her, no matter how much he felt he needed to. 

He moved closer – wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her towards him. She sighed and rubbed against him – he had to know more about her, she couldn't be just a Jedi working as a Resistance spy. He kissed her shoulder, smelling her hair. She whispered: "Love you, Ben." And he froze; he had heard that name before, in the dreams he had had with her that was the name she always called him.

He looked at her, and he knew he should've killed her, if Snoke ever found out about her being a Resistance spy – and a Jedi on top of that – and that Kylo not only knew about her but had gotten involved with her, they would both die painful deaths. But he also knew he could never do that, he would never tell Snoke about her – he was the only one that knew it and that secret would die with him.

He kissed her shoulder again and got up. He had to go to Rakata Prime. 


	9. Reconecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and commenting! 
> 
> Fic’s officially all written up. I’ll post the next chapters within the next ten days (I like to reread the chapters a few times before posting them). There are 12 chapters in total. 
> 
> Lots of drama in the next chapters, but the ending is happy, trust me! 

Sara felt when Ben woke up and stared at her for a long time, his deeply confused thoughts so domineering that they were projected, unintentionally, into her mind. He kissed her shoulder before getting up from the bed. She heard the front door opening and closing and fell asleep again.

She was awakened, hours later, by a hand on her shoulder and someone calling her name: "Sara. Sara, dear. Wake up."

It was Leia's voice.

Sara opened her eyes, confused at the woman's presence there, and looked into Leia's worried eyes.

"What..." she sat up on the bed, covering her naked body with the duvet. "What are you doing here, Leia? What happened?"

"I'm the one asking you that question, dear: the droids sent me a distress signal. We got here and the living room has clear signs of fighting – lightsaber fighting – and you're... naked... and your skin." she pointed to Sara's shoulder. "You have marks all over your neck and shoulders."

Sara blushed, "Kylo... Ben was here. He came with Hux to watch yesterday's Senate voting. He accompanied me to the Senate, we had lunch together here and..."

"And how did you go from going to the Senate and having lunch together to fighting in the living room and ending up in the bedroom?" Leia sounded confused and worried.

Sara blushed even redder, "We had a couple of drinks too... and... " she was struggling to find words to describe why they had dueled in the living room.

"Are you ok, dear? That's all that matters to me." Leia interrupted her struggle.

"Yes. He didn't hurt me." Sara was relieved for not having to explain anything.

"Good. Where is he now?"

"He left before the sun was out. He went to Rakata Prime. He is going to find the truth about the crash."

Leia sighed heavily. "We ran here the moment the distress signal arrived. But I found it strange that neither droid activated its emergency program."

"Well, I may have disabled it." Sara admitted, looking embarrassed.

Leia just looked at her, clearly annoyed and ready to give Sara another lecture on personal safety.

"Is everything all right?" they heard Han ask from the other side of the door.

"Yes." they both answered.

And Sara began talking before the lecture could start: "He'll go to Rakata and see that the crash was a lie, Leia. Then I will know for sure if it's possible to help him recover all his memories."

"You're going to the Starkiller again?"

"Yes. Tomorrow evening. I talked to Master Luke and Yoda and... your father. They all agree that's Ben, and that Snoke did something to him. Yoda said that, in time, Ben will be able to recover his memories but I must stay close. He's already very confused by his jealousy and desire."

"Is he really our Ben?" Leia had tears in her eyes.

"Yes." Sara took her hands. "He is alive."

Leia smiled and chuckled. "Thank you for insisting it was him when I didn't believe you."

"I love your son, Leia. I'd never give up on him. The pain of his death nearly took me to the dark side... now that I know for sure he is alive, nothing will stop me from bringing him back to us."

"I know, dear; I'll never be able to understand the strength of your bond, but know this: I couldn't be happier to have you as my daughter-in-law. Just be careful."

"I always am." Replied Sara with a smile, receiving a disapproving look from the other woman.

* * *

**Starkiller Base**

Sara landed the Mirrorbright in the Base's hangar and checked the ship's external cameras, looking for any sign that Ben had said anything about her. There was nothing strange, stormtroopers walked by but no one stopped close to her ship. She let out a relieved sigh and walked out of the cockpit, checking herself in the mirror one more time; her red dress hugged her body perfectly, showing off all of her curves – the sexiest dress she had ever worn – and it was on purpose: she wanted to tease Ben, she loved how he got angry whenever other men approached her, and she loved the consequences of his jealousy as well.

She walked out of her ship towards the ballroom, taking the long way Ben had showed her the last time she was there.

She reached the intersection – where if she took a left she'd go to the ballroom, and to the right was his room – and stopped a moment, deciding, in the end, to turn left. She couldn't be sure of what he had found out in Rakata – or even if he had found anything at all.

She walked slowly to the detestable dinner.

* * *

Kylo watched Sara from afar – from the moment he had seen her ship landing he could do nothing but follow her. As much as it pained him – literally, for his headache was so strong his brain seemed to want to melt, painfully, through his ears – to be close to her was a necessity. The dreams he had been having, the splitting headaches, the desire to have her, to be close to her, and the crash that never happened, all weighed on his mind. He watched as she reached the intersection and stopped; every stormtrooper and soldier that walked by her glanced her way more than once, for his annoyance. She looked gorgeous in that long red dress, her hair braided again – hair he knew for sure was curly, and that the curls would fall down her shoulders in a brown mess and make her look so young and relaxed, the complete opposite of what she looked whenever she attended the Senate or in that moment: all professional, serious and ready to defend herself if needed. His crazy Jedi – he had begun to think of her as his, he was doomed.

* * *

Sara walked into the ballroom and Kylo followed her a minute later. Hux walked to greet her, hugging her a little too familiarly and that had Kylo angry. The ginger man kept his hand on her lower back as he introduced her to some new investors: the brilliant Senator Antilles, an alderaanian turned Centrist – Hux loved to tell that story; and she played her part well, smiling and agreeing to all the ideas and opinions of the people Hux introduced her to. But Kylo knew there was more to her than just the beautiful politician – there was an intelligent woman and a powerful Jedi under that pretty façade.

Hux was taking too long to remove his hand from her back, so Kylo felt the need to walk towards them and take her away from those men.

"Senator Antilles." he greeted her.

She looked at him with a smile, but again her eyes promised a fight, he noticed her hand touch her thigh discreetly, just like in her apartment, showing him she had come armed.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, seeing how his words surprised her and had her frowning a little.

But her answer was nothing but polite: "Of course." And she let him lead her closer to the band. He put his hand on her back, so low that his fingertips lay on the curve of her ass, and pulled her very close to him. "What are you doing?" she asked, worry and confusion in her eyes.

They started to dance to the slow music, their bodies so close that her breasts brushed against his chest with every move, making her need him even more.

"We need to talk." He spoke in a very low voice.

"What did you find out?" she asked, interested in his answer, looking at him expectantly.

"You were right. There's never been a crash on Rakata Prime."

And his words had her smiling, "I already knew that. How do you feel about it?"

"More confused than before. My headaches have gotten worse in the past thirty-six hours so I assume something was done to make me forget about my past and now the memories are trying to come back; also, something tells me you're the reason."

"Yes, I am." she confirmed. "But those headaches could be signaling something dangerous, you know. Snoke could've put something in your mind that will harm you if you eventually find out the truth."

"I'm willing to take the risk."

"But I'm not." she whispered, getting even closer to him, looking up at him worried. "I've already felt you die once... I don't ever want to feel that again."

The pain he could see in her eyes moved something inside of him and he couldn't stop his desire to kiss her anymore, so he put a hand behind her neck, putting his mouth on hers, kissing her passionately in front of all the guests, his other hand holding her waist, keeping her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. The music changed into other slow tune, but they broke the kiss only when breathing became a necessity.

Sara looked into his eyes and smiled, laying her head on his chest, she rubbed her nose against his neck, thinking: _I want to help you remember, but I'm so afraid of losing you again._

"You're not going to lose me." He replied softly.

Sara quickly looked up at him, "Did you hear something?"

"Sure. You were talking against my neck." he arched and eyebrow, confused.

"But I didn't say anything. I thought it." Then she tried again, thinking as she looked into his eyes: _Can you hear me now?_

His expression told her he could. "Clearer than before." He said, touching the side of his head. "A headache is starting." he warned her.

Sara could feel his confusion and also the beginning of his pain. "We have to get out of here." so she suddenly began to rub against him, touching his chest sensually, and bit his bottom lip; he looked confused for a second until he realized she was finding them an excuse to leave the party early. Sara spoke loud enough for some guests to hear: "Take me to your room."

And he walked her out of the ballroom – but not before noticing the jealous stares of many men, including Hux.

* * *

Once they reached his room, Kylo closed the door and used the Force to check for any listening devices, he couldn't risk anyone overhearing their conversation. After double checking that there were none, he looked at Sara, noticing how distressed she seemed.

"Help me remember, Sara." he asked softly.

"First, I need to know exactly what you have been feeling. I am scared for you, I can't risk doing anything that could potentially harm you." she took a deep breath, "Let's start with these headaches, how bad are they?"

"Pretty bad."

"And is there anything unusual, apart from the headaches, that started to happen to you after you saw me here that first time?"

"Dreams," he said. "I have never been one to dream often, but now I have three to four dreams every night."

"What kind of dreams? What can you tell me about them?"

"You're always in them." he walked closer to her, looking into her eyes, pulling her towards him, needing her in his arms. "I dream of you. Of us. Sometimes we're talking, other times dueling; making love in different places."

"Tell me about the places." she was looking at him with worry, trying to ignore his hard body against her.

"Normal places. Usually one out of two different bedrooms – and now that I think of it, one of them is in your apartment, in Hosnian. That's why it looked familiar – I've been there before." he closed his eyes, the headache increasing, the pain making him feel every heartbeat on his temples.

"Breathe." she whispered, kissing his lips. "I can feel some of your pain." she touched her forehead on his, sharing in the pain, helping him navigate the splitting headache. After a couple of minutes, it subsided – but didn't go away completely.

Kylo looked into Sara's eyes, she had tears about to spill from them and a soft smile on her lips. She caressed his face, "This headache worries me... I am not sure how safe it is to tell you everything."

He let her kiss him slowly, enjoying the softness of her lips against his, the love he could feel emanating from her – love for him. Suddenly he realized something: "Those are not dreams, are they? They're memories."

"Yes." she said with emotion, resting her head on his chest as the tears started to fall. "They are our memories."

He hugged her tight. "What happened to me? I know now there was no crash on Rakata Prime, so why have I forgotten about you?"

"You were taken three years ago." she decided to start to explain. "I thought you were dead. We all felt you die." she took a deep breath, closing her eyes as the memory of the pain she felt that day threatened to consume her again. He put a hand under her chin, lifting her face to kiss her lips. "The day I first came here..." she continued, some tears rolling down her cheek, "I couldn't believe that it was you! That you had been here all this time. But when you did not recognize me, I realized that something was wrong."

"The friend you said had died and that I reminded you of him, it was me."

"Yes, I had to come up with some excuse because I was staring at you."

He felt the headache increase again and kissed her, slowly, focusing on the feel of her body against his, the way she simply melted in his arms. He left her lips to kiss a path down her neck, "My real name... is Ben."

"Yes."

"I remember you calling me that in the dreams." He touched her necklace and pulled it out from under her dress, touching the ring. "This ring... I bought it." He spoke slowly, frowning as that memory slowly became clear. "In Hosnian Prime. I had gone to a meeting in Chandrilla and... on my way back to Yavin, I stopped by Hosnian to spent the night with you."

"Yes." She breathed, looking at him, half-hopeful half-worried. "And you were taken after that."

"On my way to my ship." He nodded, closing his eyes, the headache increasing again and making him dizzy. "I was shot with something and couldn't use the Force to defend myself."

"Do you know who took you?"

"No. I passed out and..." he took a deep breath, fighting to keep thinking through the pain. "When I woke up, I was in a cell and Snoke was there."

"He tortured you." she said. "I felt your pain."

"Yes, I remember your presence with me. I had to close you off, for I feared he would be able to find you through me."

"As soon as you closed our connection, I flew to Chandrilla as fast as I could. Master Luke helped me locate you near Rakata, but before your father had even left orbit, we all felt you die." she ended in a near whisper.

"Snoke forced himself into my memories. I remember I focused all my strength in hiding you from him, and it worked: he never found out about you. He could tell I had someone though; but no face or name." A sudden wave of pain filled his mind and he fell onto his knees, Sara tried to help him stand up but he was too heavy for her to hold on her own. So she knelt in front of him, putting her hands on both sides of his head, taking into her own mind some of his pain. But it was getting worse, and she could feel it was not about to relent anytime soon, its intensity had begun to make her nauseous.

"Stop it, Sara." Ben spoke between gritted teeth. "It'll only get worse. Let me deal with it on my own."

"No. I'll help you."

"I don't want you hurting..."

She ignored him and kept on sharing in his pain. He hugged her tight against his body, accepting that she wasn't going to obey him. They suffered together through the pain of breaking whatever blockage Snoke had put inside his mind. Suddenly flashes of memories began to fill her mind. He was remembering! Sara put her hands on his head again, calling the Force to help him heal from the excruciating pain while his mind was flooded by the memories that had been taken from him three years ago; his temperature rose, his skin turning hot to the touch, as if he had a fever, and his whole body shivered.

They held on to each other and after what seemed like hours, he stopped shivering and opened his eyes, looking at Sara; she stared at him with so much worry and love that his heart ached for her. He was certain he must've been making a very sad figure: drenched in sweat, pale, tired and nauseous – as if he had just recovered from the Blue Shadow Virus. He breathed in and out, trying to calm down his heartbeat. He touched his forehead to hers, smiling.

"Ben?" she whispered. "Do you remember everything?"

"Yes." He said, nodding. "Everything." His voice hoarse as if he had just screamed for hours.

Sara laughed and cried at the same time, hugging him tight and kissing his lips as tears of happiness fell down her face.

"I can't believe you're back..." she whispered as he kissed down her neck. "Feeling you die hurt like nothing else had ever hurt before."

"You must've felt the bond breaking." He said, looking into her eyes.

"Yes, and it made me want to burn the galaxy down." She pushed him backwards, making him lie on the floor. She sat on top of him, opening his belt and pulling his shirts off of him quickly.

"I'm not going anywhere ever again." He reassured her before holding her face and kissing her lips again, his tongue caressing hers, the tender kiss quickly becoming heated; and the need to give her pleasure, to have her moaning under him took control of his body. Ben unzipped her dress and pulled it off of her body, throwing it onto the floor. He looked up at her half-naked body sitting on top of his, her lightsaber in a holster attached to her left thigh, and the red lace undergarments she wore made him want to just thrown her down and mount her – something he was sure she'd love as much as him. But he was patient instead, his hands caressed her thigh, unclasping the holster and letting it fall on the floor beside them; next, he opened her bra, touching her breasts, pinching her nipples as he knew she loved.

"I remember everything." he said. "How you love to tease me, to feel my weight on top of you, and to wrap your lips around my dick." he watched her shiver and circle her hips, rubbing her pussy over his hard member. He flipped them over, her back on the floor now, and put himself between her legs, kissing down her neck, finding her nipples to play with, biting and pinching them, making her arch and moan as he pulled her panties down her legs. He kissed down her stomach, opening her legs up for him. "And how I love to eat you up." he held her thighs apart and lowered his mouth to her opening, two fingers entering her with no warning as he licked her clit and rubbed his thumb against the special spot near her entrance that he knew would make her cum in no time. Sara arched, shouting his name, gripping his hair, her legs closing around his head; but he wasn't having it, he used the Force to pry them open again, giving him full access to her pussy. And soon she was climaxing, her pussy clenching around his fingers as her hips bucked and she moaned loudly, tugging on his hair. He quickly removed his pants and underwear and thrust into her, lodging his hard dick deep inside of her, the strong sudden movement had Sara arching her back and shouting his name as another powerful orgasm took her over. He moved his hips slowly enough to keep her cumming longer, and she did – and he fucked her climaxing pussy with wild abandon, feeling his own climax wash over him unstoppably. He spilled inside of her as her channel spasmed and massaged his dick, as if sucking every last drop of cum out of him.

They shared a slow kiss, breathing in each other's air, their bodies still connected.

All of a sudden, Sara gasped as they both felt their energies connecting; she could feel him in her mind again, tears of joy and relief fell down her face as she pulled him in for another kiss. "I never thought I'd feel this again... I feel whole." she whispered as she cried.

"This is so good... I feel calmer." He said.

"You always said my powers balanced yours." She replied. "This is the connection I was feeling when they took you from me. All of this was just ripped from me. It was beyond horrible. I felt like dying myself."

He moved his hips, "I love you, Sara. And I'm not going anywhere ever again."

"You'd better not." was her reply before she threw her head back as he moved faster and deeper inside of her, his lips on her nipples, biting them; she trashed under him, completely taken by pleasure, all his.

He could feel her pleasure in his mind, the way she loved every deep thrust of his dick, how she felt sexy being owned by him; feeling his weight on top of her had her weak in a delicious way. He filled her mind with memories of his lips teasing her clit, suckling on it. "Yes!" she cried out. "Harder!" And he fucked her deep, unrelentingly; soon she was coming undone under him once more and the way her pussy squeezed his dick had him cumming inside of her again.

* * *

They fell asleep on the floor of his bedroom. Ben woke up a few hours later and carried her to his bed, watching all the marks he had left on her body and loving them all; bite marks on her neck and shoulders, her nipples red and swollen, her thighs sticky from their combined cums. He lay down beside her and pulled her to his chest, sleep easily taking him again.

* * *

They woke up by the insistent ringing of Ben's phone.

"Yes." He answered in a deeper, annoyed voice – making Sara smile against his chest. "Sure. We'll be there." And he hung up.

Sara openly laughed, "So serious, Kylo." but she stopped quickly, noticing his worried expression. "What is it?"

"We were called to the Main Room. They're about to test the superweapon."

Sara immediately lost her smiled and became concerned.

"Do you know what it does?"

"Blows up planets." he replied.

"Planets? As in more than one?"

Ben nodded, saying: "You must leave the Base at the first opportunity, I'll send a ship after you; let them see where you're going, and I'll bring Snoke to you. Together we can defeat him."

"Yes. We can."

Then he kissed her and they got up, getting dressed in silence, both worried with what was about to happen.

Ben had his pants on and was picking up his shirts from the floor when he glanced at her: she had her dress on already, but it still needed to be zipped up. He walked behind her and did it, kissing her shoulder; Sara melted against him, desiring him all over again. He turned her around and took her lips, taking pride in the way she trembled in his arms.

"We don't have time." She said, while her body responded to his every touch.

"I'll be fast." He replied, hoisting her up and trapping her against the wall. He pulled his pants down, freeing his hard dick, one hand going betwen her legs, checking if she was still wet from their previous coupling, then he penetrated her. And the way she arched in pleasure the moment he thrust deep inside of her had him groaning in male pride. He fucked her deep and hard, making her climax as fast as he had promised. But he didn't stop, he couldn't. He needed more of her. He used the Force to keep her up against the wall and pulled the straps of her dress down her shoulders, almost ripping them, to expose her breasts, biting her nipples. She screamed and he felt her channel clenching around his hard invasion – she had reached climax again – and the sight she made coming on his dick had him spilling inside of her for the third time that night. He took her lips and they kissed slowly, breathlessly, as they both regained their senses.

He let her legs down and took his half-hard dick out of her pussy, watching as his cum dripped down her thighs, mixed with her own cum. He kissed her again, almost violently, realizing he wanted to keep her naked and fucked forever. He touched his forehead to hers, breathing in her air, eyes closed; he wanted to bath her and then fuck her again.

"When all of this is done, I'll keep you fed, clean and well-fucked in a bed for a week." he promised.

"I'll hold you to that." she replied, smiling, her breathing still irregular.

* * *

They walked into the main room of the Starkiller Base a moment before Hux uttered: "Fire!"

And they watched as five rays shot out from the Base and hit each planet of the Hosnian System, exploding all of them.

The disturbance in the Force hit Sara with such strength that she felt she'd faint. Ben put a hand behind her back, sending her a little of his energy to keep her conscious.

_How aren't you weakened by that? _She asked him through their renewed bond.

_My training. It helps me block that kind of feeling. But I felt it too._

_We must destroy this Base before thinking of ending Snoke._

_Leave that to me. You must go now. Remember: you'll be followed._

Sara congratulated Hux and walked out of the room, going to the hangar and boarding her ship as fast as possible. As soon as she'd left the Base, she noticed she was being followed, like Ben said she would. She ignored it and called Leia.

"What was that, Sara?" Leia asked as soon her image appeared on Sara's screen.

"They blew up the Hosnian system. All of it." Tears started to fall from Sara's eyes. "I was there, on the Base. It was horrible to feel them all dying..."

"I felt it too." Leia sighed. "And Ben? I feel him again." Leia had a teary smile on her face.

"He's recovered his memories. He's no longer under Snoke's control. I'll be getting to Crait in a few hours, and a tie-fighter is following me; I'll let them find out my true alliance."

"We'll be ready for them."

And they hung up.

* * *

Sara landed the Mirrorbright on Crait and was welcomed by Leia. It was past midnight on the planet, most people were already asleep.

"Hello, my dear." Said Leia, hugging her. "Is everything ok?"

"More than ok. Ben is alive and remembers everything now." but her smiled left her face when she spoke next: "All the people in the Hosnian System, Leia... five planets were pulverized."

They began to walk towards the huge door of the base.

"What will we do about the Starkiller?" asked Leia. "We can't let such weapon stay in the hands of people like Hux and Carise."

"Ben said he'll blow it up before coming here with Snoke."

They walked into the base and Leia closed the metal door.

"I left a room ready for you, Sara. Door number sixteen."

"Thank you, Leia. I'll rest a little. Good night."

"Good night, dear."

* * *

After changing into clean comfortable clothes, Sara sat on the bed, meditating. It didn't take long for her to feel Ben's presence in the room. She opened her eyes and saw him staring right at her.

"Can you see me?" she asked.

"Yes. You have called me before, when I couldn't remember anything, haven't you?"

"Yes. But you could never see me." She smiled at him, getting close. "Do you have a plan already?"

"Yes. I am going to blow the Starkiller within a couple of hours. And in two days we'll probably be arriving on Crait. The trooper that followed you has already returned and said that Crait is the planet where the Resistance has a base now. Carise is having a hard time accepting you're a spy." 

"I can only imagine!" she laughed. "And that's right: we're in Crait, in an old Rebel Base. We left D'Qar a few weeks ago. Will you be safe?"

"Sure. Don't worry. Once the Starkiller is ruined, I'll try to stay in the Upsilon until we have to leave for Crait..."

"You're afraid Snoke will be able to see that you're not under his control anymore." She interrupted, understanding.

He nodded.

Sara just looked at him, apprehension taking over her.

"I love you, Ben. Be careful."

"I will, love. See you in two days."

And his image disappeared.

* * *

Early the next morning, the Resistance Base received the news that the Starkiller had been destroyed. Leia and Sara looked at each other, sharing a knowing smile.

After breakfast, Sara was training swordfight with Poe Dameron when she suddenly lost her balance and fell onto her knees, holding her head, eyes closed. Then she heard a man's voice piercing her head, filled with evil intent: _Finally, I've found you!_

"Snoke." She whispered, making Poe look at her in confusion and fear, she continued: "He's found me. He's in my head."

_I can see now why he hid you from me._ Continued Snoke. _A true Jedi. You think you can just turn my apprentice against me? Stupid Jedi. You will regret ever meeting him._

And just like he had started to speak, he stopped.

Sara got up slowly, Poe helping her, and walked to Leia's office, getting inside without knocking.

"We've lost Ben, again. Snoke found a way to regain control over him." She sat on a chair in front of Leia's desk, tears falling down. "And he knows about me now."

Leia looked at her, then at Poe and back at her, "Tell me where Luke is. We'll bring him here to help us."

Sara nodded and looked at Poe, "You can use the Mirrorbright, the coordinates for Ahch-To are already saved in her memory charts."

And Poe left immediately, going to get Luke Skywalker.


	10. Death & Pain

**Crait**

Sara was meditating a little far from the base, in the middle of the salt desert when she heard the familiar sound of her Mirrorbright landing on the planet. She opened her eyes and watched Master Luke walk from her ship. His eyes met hers and she knew he could instantly tell what was happening. She got up from the ground and took a deep breath; since the previous day every time she tried to reach Ben it was Snoke's voice she heard – he hadn't severed their connection like the first time, he'd left the path wide open instead, letting her know Ben was suffering; she felt every torture Snoke inflicted on him, every word of hatred that he put inside Ben's head; she had been unable to sleep last night as she was forced to listened to Ben's screams and Snoke's laughter whenever she closed her eyes.

She knew Luke would be able to see the chaos that was in her mind – but she was humble enough to admit she needed his help, so she walked towards her Master.

* * *

Luke saw the pain in Sara's eyes even from that distance; he saw her walking slowly towards him and he went towards his sister, being hugged in the first moment and punched in the second.

"Why didn't you tell me where you were?" demanded Leia.

"I didn't want any visitors." Said Luke, touching his arm. "Sara would tell you if I was in any danger – which I wasn't."

"Yes, I know." She looked at the woman walking towards them. "Snoke is torturing Ben and is making sure she hears everything. He will come kill her..."

"That's why I'm here." Luke held Leia's hands in his. "I'll help her defeat Snoke. And we'll find a way to save Ben again."

Leia took a deep breath, "It's just that... I worry about her; she's the daughter I never had. Ever since Ben died she's been by my side in everything. I'd trust her with my life. Also, I am not sure my son can be saved again; according to the little that Sara has told me, Snoke is being thorough this time, there's not much Ben left... So she's all I have now."

"She told me about the crown." He said.

"Yes. She will be an amazing queen." Leia gave a small smile. "Ben couldn't have chosen a better person to share his life with. I just... I feel so guilty. He was kidnapped and tortured because of me, because he's my son. I hope he survives this, he deserves to enjoy a peaceful life; they both deserve."

"Sara will do whatever it takes to save him, you know?" Luke warned his sister. "You must be ready to see a side of her that only our father could understand."

Leia looked at him with a frown. "She mentioned to me once that she's met him."

"Yes. And they became good friends; after Ben died, Sara was on her way to the dark side; she wanted to kill everyone that could be remotely responsible for his death. Our father saved her – and the galaxy – from what she could've become." He paused. "He said he'd be with her in case of need, so he may be showing up before the fight is over."

Sara finally reached them. "Master Luke." She bowed her head, not hiding her inner chaos.

"Sara." He greeted her, worried by the turmoil he could sense inside of her. "What's happening, kid? You look sick."

"Snoke left our connection intact this time. I can feel every torture he inflicts on Ben and... I've been absorbing some of it."

Leia was shocked, "You haven't told me that!" She touched Sara's arm. "You can't do that to yourself! You're letting Snoke hurt you!"

"I can't listen to Ben's screams and not help him!" Sara almost shouted.

"Can you hear him right now?" asked Luke, trying to get the situation under control.

"No. He's been quiet for about an hour. The last thing I heard was that they'd be coming here soon."

"We will be ready." Said Luke with certainty, but not failing to sense a certain defeat in his padawan.

* * *

A few minutes after lunch, the base's alarms started to ring. And the sound of tie fighters attacking the base could be heard. Sara and Luke walked out of the base in time to see the Upsilon landing. They waited for Ben and Snoke to show up.

"You're blocking your feelings from me, Sara." said Luke. "Your intentions in facing Ben are not clear to me – at least I hope they are not clear, because what I feel is defeat coming from you."

Sara quietly watched the black Upsilon-class shuttle open its door and Kylo walk out of it.

"He is here to kill me, Master." She finally spoke. "I heard Snoke ordering him to do that. I felt my Ben trying to fight that command." A tear rolled down her face. "And he fought so hard against his control but he was no match for the dark power Snoke possess."

Her eyes never looked in Luke's direction, she watched Kylo walk closer to them – and she felt nothing but hate coming from him.

"Where's Snoke?" Luke asked, frowning.

"I don't think he's coming. He has ordered Kylo to kill me, so I think after he's done that, Snoke will come for you and the others. He knows I'm a threat to him." She wasn't bragging, her voice was heavy with sadness instead. "I think he knows I could kill him and, being the coward he is, he doesn't want to risk himself coming here to kill me on his own." She fell silent again, just looking at Kylo, her heart heavy.

* * *

Kylo walked out of the Upsilon and easily spotted the two Jedi waiting for him in front of the big door of the Resistance Base. Supreme Leader Snoke had ordered him to kill the female, but not her Master, and that's what he'd do. He walked closer and let his cape fall onto the ground, igniting his lightsaber and waiting for the woman's move.

* * *

"Stay here, Master." Sara whispered as she watched Kylo drop his cape onto the ground and stop with his lightsaber ignited.

"You know you won't be able to kill him, Sara." Luke held her arm. "You'll never forgive yourself if you do that. We can fight him together, we are stronger than him."

"Snoke sent him here to kill me. I can hear his thoughts; I feel his hate." She sighed heavily and more tears fell down her face as she looked at Kylo. "There's nothing left of Ben inside of him; there's nothing to be saved. He is focused on seeing me dead. There's no need for you to get involved."

"You're letting your feelings interfere with your focus." Luke's voice was filled with worry. "He'll kill you, Sara."

"I know." She gave him a sad smile. "The bright side is: I won't have to feel him die again, when you kill him." she raised her hand towards her Master and immobilized him using the Force. "Sorry, Master." And she walked towards Kylo.

* * *

Sara stopped ten feet from him.

"Hello, Kylo." She said, holding her lightsaber in one hand, but not igniting it. "I know why you're here."

"You lied and manipulated me!" He accused her. "And I almost believed you. But the Supreme Leader is wise. He showed me your lies." His eyes held nothing but hate for her.

"No, Ben, he's the one who's lying." She whispered, her heart aching as she looked into the face she loved and saw there was no way of bringing her beloved Ben back.

"Don't call me that!" he shouted, pointing his lightsaber at her. "You are nothing but a traitor! A filthy whore hired by the Resistance to spy on me! To play with my head!"

He was mad. He sounded like a mad man. Sara felt her heart breaking into a million pieces for him. But before she could say another word, he was running to attack her and she had to quickly turn on her lightsaber to defend herself.

He was furious, all that anger, plus his stronger physique, had Sara fighting hard to protect herself from his blows. She was faster than him though, so she danced around him, avoiding being hit and looking from an opening. In his rage to get her killed, he lost focus for a second and she had her chance: she kicked his legs from under him, making him fall onto the ground hard on his back. And she put her lightsaber on his neck. Kylo stared up at her as she looked down at him. She could easily kill him, one move of her arm and he'd be beheaded – but she didn't have the strength to do that.   
Sara removed her lightsaber from Kylo's throat and took a step back, allowing him to get up.

"You're a fool." He barked, standing up quickly. "Do not expect the same weakness from me. I will end you. I have my orders to destroy the Resistance Jedi. And I won't disappoint Leader Snoke. Not again."

"You've never been able to defeat me, Ben. We'll be here a long time."

Her words enraged him even further. He charged against her again, even more furious than before. She tried to disarm him, for he'd end up cutting her or himself if he kept on attacking with such blind anger. She focused on hitting his fingers, but the second it took her to aim was enough for him to hit her right shoulder, the heat of the lightsaber burning her deep, the pain making her whole side weak for a moment, her lightsaber almost hitting the ground. She blocked that feeling and raised her saber against his with her left hand, the blades hissing against each other. Sara had to take two steps back – his furious strength too much for her smaller body. She looked into his eyes – nothing but hate and purpose there. Her heart was crushed, her hopes had turned into dust. All their dreams, all the suffering and the years plotting against the First Order... it had all been for nothing. Even if she killed Kylo, if she helped Master Luke kill Snoke, all her fighting would've meant nothing, for she was unable to save her Ben.

Kylo kept on pushing against her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Ben!" she said, her voice filled with sadness.

"Shut up! You lying bitch! Traitor!"

His anger made him lose a bit of focus so Sara used that moment to escape from him and direct a blow onto his left arm. The wound was deep, her lightsaber burning through his layers of protective shirts and making him angrier. His next attack was so strong it unbalanced her. He was letting his anger consume him, which made him even more dangerous. Sara focused her energy in sending his saber away, and the weapon easily obeyed her, but that didn't stop him – he punched her wounded shoulder and she stumbled backwards, the pain blinding her for a second and making her fall on her knees onto the ground. Kylo used that moment to summon his lightsaber back to his hand and disarm her, kicking her saber away. Sara didn't have time to get up, Kylo held her up by the front of her resistance uniform, bringing her face very close to his, her feet off the ground; she put both her hands on the wrist of the arm he was using to hold her off of the ground and looked into his eyes – his hatred-filled eyes.

"Please, Ben, please remember." she whispered, "I love you."

But he didn't even blink, her words making him hate her more. The order to end her took over him and he looked into her desperate eyes without saying a word, delivering the final blow.

And Sara felt the heat of his lightsaber piercing the right side of her abdomen. It was extremely painful. She brought her left hand to his face and softly touched her lips to his one last time. Then all was dark.

* * *

Kylo let the Jedi's body fall to the ground and looked up towards the resistance base. In front of the huge metal door stood the Resistance princess, the Jedi Master and others, the princess stared at him with tears and disbelief, her hand on the Jedi's arm. Kylo looked down at the body near his feet and felt somewhat nauseous, a splitting headache starting. He turned around and walked back to his ship. Leader Snoke had told him to kill the female Jedi, and he had done that. It was time to return to Snoke's side.

* * *

Luke felt the force-hold Sara had put on him dissipate the moment her body fell onto the ground; he was about to run towards Kylo when Leia reached him and held his arm. He looked at his sister, she looked fragile and completely heartbroken. Han shook his head to him too and Luke respected their wish and didn't go after Kylo. They just watched the tall man walk back into his ship.

* * *

Once the Upsilon was nothing but a dot in the sky and all tie fighters had followed it, Leia ran to the place Sara's body was lying on the ground. She fell onto her knees beside the lifeless body and let the tears fall, pulling Sara's head to her lap, feeling lost. Since the day Ben had died, Sara had been by her side, no matter the situation: resistance, family, royal business or politics, Sara had stood beside her, helping and listening. And all the dreams Leia had had for her son and the young Jedi: a peaceful life, kids... it was all over now. She touched her forehead to Sara's and just cried.

After a few minutes, the resistance doctor, Aurin, arrived with a gurney. It was clear that Sara was dead, but the doctor knew Leia would want to give the young woman a proper funeral.

Han helped his wife up from the ground and they watched as the gurney with Sara on was taken into the base.

"I need to be alone." Leia whispered, picking Sara's lightsaber from the ground.

Han and Luke nodded and walked to the base, respecting her wish.

Leia looked to the weapon in her hand, feeling the power of the kyber crystal, its presence so similar to Sara's. _What will I do now?_ She thought. _Ben's lost, Sara is gone. The Resistance is less than five hundred people while Snoke has who knows how many thousands of soldiers in the First Order._

"She's not gone." Suddenly Leia heard someone say. She looked around and saw the ghost of her father. "Hello, daughter." He said.

"Anakin." She didn’t think she'd ever call him 'father'. "What do you mean, she's not gone?"

"Keep Sara's body warm and alive, I'll care for her soul to give her time to heal."

"Heal?" Leia asked, her voice wavering from all the crying. "How can she heal from that?" she had seen the burnt hole the lightsaber had left on Sara's abdomen.

"I'll help her body heal." reassured Anakin. "She won't die from it. Trust me. Look after her body and I'll take care of the rest."

Leia nodded, still not fully believing him but needing to.

"One more thing: no one else can know she'll return. It must be a secret." he added.

"Why?"

"Her death will help Ben regain his memories for good. And it will make it impossible for Snoke to control him again. We can't be sure anyone here isn't sending information to the First Order." He put his hand on Leia's shoulder. "Sara will be back." And he disappeared.

Leia took a deep breath and walked back to the base, her heart beating fast at the thought of Sara being alive and that there could still be hope. She tried not to run, not wanting anyone to find her hurrying to get to Sara suspicious. She entered the medical bay and saw that Dr. Aurin had hooked Sara on several machines.

"Her heart is still beating." Explained the doctor. "It's a miracle. But don't hold on to hope, General." she cautioned, sadness filling her voice. "She'll probably not make the night."

Leia approached the bed, noticing Sara's wounds had been carefully cleaned and bandaged. "Thank you for caring for her." She whispered to the doctor.

"I'll leave you alone with her."

"Yes, please. And I don't want anyone else coming in here." Leia ordered.

The doctor frowned a little at the strange request but nodded before leaving the room.

* * *

**Meanwhile, inside the Upsilon**

Kylo had gone straight to his room after killing the Jedi; his headache had worsened fast, its intensity was about to make him pass out. He took a couple of pills and lay down. Only to wake up a couple of hours later, startled, his heart beating fast. He sat up on the bed so quickly it made him dizzy. A nightmare had woken him up: he had watched Sara die right in front of him, the light leaving her eyes, her lips touching his one last time, and the pain of their bond being severed hitting him with such strength he had been blinded by the pain. He rubbed his temples, looking around his dark room putting a hand on his chest, his t-shirt was soaked with sweat. The pain he had felt in the nightmare was still with him. He tried to tell himself that it had only been a nightmare, nothing else. Then he reached out to get a glass of water from the nightstand, but felt his muscles object. He stared in shock at his wounded arm – the same arm Sara had hit in the nightmare. His heart stopped as fear consumed him, reality catching up to him, dread filling his heart as he remembered: it hadn't been a nightmare – Sara was dead, and he had been the one who killed her.

* * *

Sara opened her eyes and found herself staring at a beautiful blue sky; she could feel soft sand under her body. She sat up and saw the sea slowly kissing the shore, it was such a peaceful place. She slowly stood up, checking her abdomen and her shoulder, finding no wounds. She frowned and looked around, suddenly recognizing that place: she was in Ahch-To.

"Welcome back, friend."

She turned around to face the owner of that voice.

"Anakin. Ben killed me, didn't he?" she asked, her voice filled with pain.

"Yes."

She sighed, looking up at her friend, a sad smile on her face. "I must say a part of me feels glad I'm dead. I won't have to feel him die again; for Master Luke will kill him, for sure."

"I'm not so sure that'll happen." he smiled as if he knew a juicy secret. "Ben's got his memory back."

Sara frowned, confused. "What?"

"He felt you die – and you know how painful that is. That pain gave him his memories back and Snoke won't be able to get him under his control again. He found a way to block his thoughts from him and is planning on killing Snoke now."

"Wait, isn't that the same pain of loss that drove you, and nearly me, over to the dark side?"

"Yes." Anakin's smile faltered. "Let's hope Ben is strong enough to resist it." he added.

Sara looked at him in disbelief. "He was born with conflict and now you want to trust him to resist the darkness he was not only born with but that Snoke has been feeding for years?"

"When you say it like that it sounds like a really bad idea." Anakin put a hand on the back of his head, in a clear sign of nervousness.

Sara shook her head, unable to stop a smile from her lips. "I sure have missed you, Ani." She said, sitting back on the sand and staring at the sea. "So, now Ben's alive and has his memories back and I'm dead... How ironic fate can be."

"Fate? This isn't your fate, Sara. You died, yes, but right now you're not dead. Not anymore at least."

"What are you saying?" she looked at him, frowning.

"I brought your spirit here to give your body time to heal enough to receive your soul back without risking you dying again."

"Anakin, I felt his lightsaber go through my abdomen, how will my body heal from that?"

"It will. Don't worry. Leia has been keeping your body alive and, as I intervened right at the moment of your death, your brain was not damaged from lack of oxygen. As soon as it's safe for you to return, you will."

"Until then, I'll stay here?"

"Yes." he replied, sitting on the sand beside her. "I've missed you too, you know. Plus, you can tell me about Tandankin. I'm curious to know how the alderaanians are doing."

Sara frowned, not understanding his interest. "Why? You planning on moving there? I'm not sure how welcome you'd be."

"Who knows?" he casually shrugged.

She chuckled. "I sure have missed you, friend." And she told him about the new planet.

* * *

**Crait**

Leia sat beside Sara's bed inside the hospital room, her eyes fixed on the woman and the many machines she was hooked on. Sara lay there barely breathing. Doctor Aurin said there was no hope, but Leia had decided to trust her father – and Luke said Anakin had become close friends with Sara – plus: she wanted to believe him. She held Sara's hand, thinking of the future, of the life she wished her son could have with Sara by his side, the beautiful family they would make. And how everything was almost ruined by Snoke twice – and still could be.

Almost twenty-four hours had already gone by since Sara had been murdered and Anakin had visited Leia saying she'd return, and still no signs of her waking up. Dr. Aurin had knocked on the door a while back and was surprised to hear Sara was still alive. Han had left some food for Leia at the door – respecting her wish to stay alone with Sara. Luke had knocked too and she assured him she'd leave the room once she felt there was nothing else to be done for Sara. Leia laid her head on the bed, trying to take a nap, she was tired – tired of the war, of losing loved ones, of crying. She just wanted to sleep for a week and wake up with someone telling her it had all been just a nightmare.

Leia was almost falling asleep when she felt Sara's hand move and the young woman's chest started to rise and fall rhythmically, making one of the machines beep faster in response. Suddenly Sara opened her eyes and gasped loudly.

"Sara!" Leia exclaimed, "You're really back!"

"Hurts." Sara whispered, her throat dry.

Leia clicked a button twice, injecting more painkillers into Sara's bloodstream, and watched the young woman relax as the medicine took effect. Leia gave her a glass of water with a straw and Sara sipped, whispering afterwards: "Thank you. That hurt... like hell."

"I can't believe you're back."

"Anakin helped me. He kept my soul alive." She spoke with certain difficulty, pain clear in her voice.

"I know. He told me to keep your body alive. I'm so glad to see you..." She carefully hugged Sara.

"Ben remembers everything now. He knows he killed me." Sara sounded worried. "I can only think of how much pain he must be in."

"What? He is back?"

"Yes. Anakin and the other dead Masters believe the pain of my death will give Ben enough strength to kill Snoke and also resist being controlled again." She winced as she felt a new wave of pain. "I, on the other hand, fear he might succumb to that darkness, as I almost did after his death."

Leia looked at her, concerned too. "He's my son, but I wouldn't trust him not to give into the dark side; he was born with conflict... killing you might finally take him down."

"Exactly. And I told Anakin that it wasn't a good idea..." she closed her eyes, trying to control de pain. "Let's just hope he resists it. I don't want to think of what will happen if he doesn't."

* * *

Although Anakin had asked for secrecy, Leia asked Dr. Aurin to enter the room to check on Sara. She explained to the doctor what had happened and that it should be a secret. The doctor was really surprised to see Sara alive and swore to keep the secret.

Leia had some TV monitors installed in Sara's room, so she could see what was happening around the base, while looking after Sara. Which also proved to be very useful three days later when, once again, Kylo's Upsilon landed on Crait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more chapters to go. Let me hear it from you! 


	11. All Is Well

**Crait**

Sara was walking around the medical bay, feeling as good as new – even though only four days ago she had technically died. Her abdomen still hurt a bit but whatever Anakin was doing to help her heal was working fast, if it weren't for the faint scar on her right shoulder, and the still tender spot in her abdomen, no one would believe she was ever hurt by a lightsaber.

She was passing by the TV monitors when she saw the big black ship land and froze. A minute later, Leia ran into the medical bay, saying: "Ben's here. And he brought Snoke this time."

"Is Master Luke going to face them?"

"Yes. He's already going out there." Leia clicked on a button and the image changed in one of the screens and they soon saw Luke walking towards the ship as Kylo walked down the ramp; Snoke emerging a couple of minutes later.

Sara stared at Ben, feeling his anger and inner turmoil even from that distance.

"He's in pain." Leia whispered.

"Yes. I'm not even trying to reach out to him, but I can feel it..." Sara replied, eyes fixed on the small TV.

"But he hasn't given into the Dark Side." Said Leia with hope in her voice.

Sara silently nodded, wondering about that.

They watched as Luke walked closer to Ben and Snoke, and Ben walked towards his uncle – his angry energy building up with each step he took, his eyes so filled with rage that, for a moment, Sara forgot that he had recovered his memories, for it looked like he was actually about to attack his uncle. Snoke followed him, while keeping a certain distance.

"Alone, this time?" Snoke asked Luke, disdainfully. "Oh, yes, I remember now: my apprentice here killed your Jedi pet a few days ago. And what a spectacle it was – to watch him murder the woman he once loved." He smiled, mockingly. "I had to do something about her, you know. She had already ruined my control over Kylo once – I was not about to let such a strong Jedi on the loose. But why do it myself, I wondered, when it would be so much more entertaining to make him do it." He laughed this time. "And it was entertaining indeed!"

Luke ignited his lightsaber and so did Ben, but instead of charging against his uncle, his focus suddenly shifted and he turned around and stroke so fast that Snoke didn't have time to defend himself. Ben's first and second blows hit the disfigured dark-Force user, leaving two huge gashes: one on his chest and one on his left arm, that hanged uselessly on his side.

"You traitor!" barked Snoke, his golden lightsaber ignited on his right hand.

"I know everything you did to me." Said Ben, his voice heavy with fury and torment. "I remember it all. You kidnapped me, made my family believe I was dead! Made me do your dirty work." He attacked again, enraged and recklessly. He was on Snoke so fast that Luke took a few steps back, while still standing nearby, trying to find a way to join forces against Snoke without risking hurting his nephew.

Snoke's lightsaber found its way into Ben's right thigh and his pain-filled scream was heard through the battlefield, Ben took several wobbly steps back. His leg pounding, the burnt wound left by the lightsaber was deep enough to expose his femur. Ben took a deep breath, using the Force to stop himself from falling down. "But the worst of it," he continued, his voice strained by physical and emotional pain, "You made me kill Sara." he shook his head and smiled cruelly at Snoke. "And for that, I'll kill you even if I have to die too." And he charged again, using the strength of his pain to fuel his blows. Hope was a powerful emotion, but revenge was even more powerful – he saw nothing but his desire to remove Snoke's head from its body. He didn't even feel his wounded leg anymore, he attacked with purpose, not caring about protecting himself.

* * *

From inside the medical bay, Sara realized what Ben was doing: "I know why he didn't give into the dark side: he's decided to kill Snoke even if it costs him his own life. He intends to die in this battle." She finished in an alarmed tone.

"What?" Leia exclaimed.

"He thinks I'm dead – that he killed me." her heart was starting to pound, "I know too well the mess of feelings he has inside of him now: revenge, hate, grief, despair. Anakin helped me control my feelings, but Ben's decided to let his loose and have his revenge even if it kills him."

Leia stared at the image of her son in the TV monitor, not wanting to accept she was about to lose him again.

Sara didn't wait another minute, she quickly summoned her lightsaber and left the room, running through the base and into the battlefield – ignoring the several shocked exclamations as she passed by the Resistance members on her way outside.

Luke saw her running towards him and stared at her as perplexed as the others.

"Yes, I'm alive." she replied, stopping beside him. "And Ben doesn't know... he's letting Snoke think he's got the advantage and the moment he lowers his guard, Ben will go for the kill. I can sense he's decided to die in this battle and I can't let him do that! I have to make him see I'm here." and she ran towards the two fiercely fighting men, trying to think of a way to make Ben know she was there without distracting him and, accidentally, causing his death.

But before she could make him see her, Snoke's lightsaber cut deeply into Ben's other thigh, bringing him down onto his knees – the blood loss and the pain making it impossible for him to keep his body standing with both legs deeply wounded.

Snoke approached him and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up from the floor.

"Not even killing you will be worth it – you're weak, controlled by your emotions, letting your feelings interfere with your powers. Useless apprentice."

Ben let his lightsaber fall onto the ground and closed his eyes, ready to accept his death – hoping he would meet Sara in the afterlife and that she'd forgive him for having murdered her and being unable to kill the one responsible for the destruction of their lives. However, he passed out from the blood loss and the pain before the final blow could hit him.

* * *

Sara took advantage of the fact that Snoke was focused on Ben and moved closer, behind him, trying to make Ben see her. But when Snoke lifted him up, and she saw Ben close his eyes and let peace fill up his mind, fear took over Sara – she could feel Ben was welcoming death. Desperation moved her and she ignited her lightsaber and ran towards Snoke, using all her strength, and her fear of seeing Ben die again, to hit Snoke and cut him in half.

The world seemed to stop moving in the seconds it took for Snoke's upper-half to fall off of his bottom-half; Ben fell onto the ground too, unconscious.

Sara turned off her lightsaber and jumped over Snoke's dead body, kneeling beside Ben, quickly assessing his wounds; it was bad – he looked half-dead already. "No. No. Please." she pleaded as she touched his face, fear taking control of her.

Luke and Leia reached them, followed by a medical team; Leia touched Sara's shoulder, saying: "Let's get him to the hospital bay." she looked at her son, tears filling her eyes as she reached the same conclusion as Sara.

Sara helped put Ben on the gurney and they walked as quickly as possible to the base. "There's an old bacta tank in here." said Dr. Aurin, trying to reassure them somehow. "We'll put him in that immediately."

"I'll help clean him up." said Sara – and no one dared to say otherwise.

They reached the hospital bay and Sara started to remove Ben's dirty and torn clothes. "There's so many wounds." She whispered, touching his pale skin, cleaning him off of the salty sand and the blood.

Dr. Aurin worked without looking up neither at Sara nor Leia – she was certain there was little to no hope, the man on that bed was dead already.

They activated the big old bacta tank, put the oxygen mask on Ben's face and Han helped Sara lower his son inside the tank.

Sara stood in front of it, her eyes focused on the man suspended inside the healing liquid, his powerful severely wounded body covered only by a pair of dark blue boxer briefs, his long hair floating around his head like tentacles; she tried desperately to connect with his energy – the little of it that she could sense. Ben. Listen to me. she sent him. I am alive. Please, come back to me. But there was no answer – the pain of losing him again started to grow in her chest and she fell on knees onto the floor, in front of the bacta tank, tears rolling down her face as she sobbed.

Leia knelt beside her, silently crying along. And that's how Han found them, when he walked back into the hospital room with some water bottles in his hands. He looked at his son in the tank and at Dr. Aurin. The doctor shook her head, tears in her eyes as well.

Han walked towards the two women on the floor, putting his hand on his wife's shoulder.

Suddenly, Sara opened her eyes and raised her head, looking up at Ben, a thought forming in her head. She stood up quickly and shouted: "Anakin!" Scaring the other two people in the room.

"What...?" started to ask Han.

Sara ignored him and shouted again, angrier: "Anakin! Show yourself!" Her voice echoing in the quiet room.

Leia stood up too and touched her arm. "Dear, what are you doing?"

"I'm here." they suddenly heard and looked in the direction of the voice, finding Anakin standing there in Jedi robes.

"Save him." demanded Sara, pointing at Ben. "Please. You're my friend, you trained me, helped me, and saved me when I needed." she walked very close to him, whispering her next words: "We understand each other in a level that no one else does. You never had your second chance... you told me how you yearn for it even now. So I beg you: save Ben, let us have our chance."

"If it were up to me, I would, my friend." he replied, touching her face gently, "But the other Masters, they have to agree to it. I, alone, don't have such power."

"You know what I can become." She interrupted him, her voice filled with anger and sorrow. "I'll let it happen this time." Her eyes hardened.

Anakin became suddenly worried by her words and the determination he could sense in her.

"I have nothing to lose now." Sara continued, swallowing a sob, keeping her voice steady, even as a stubborn tear ran down her face. "And I'm done with the Force! Our lives were disrupted by a mad man!" she shouted, not at Anakin, but to the empty room, in an effort to make the other Masters listen. "Snoke kidnapped Ben, brainwashed him, made him kill me!" and her voice broke then, the sadness too profound for her to contain it; she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, controlling her emotions enough to make her next words sound like a promise: "Bring him back or I'll allow all this rage and loss to take over me, and this war won't be over until I'm dead. The Force will never find its balance again. And we all know the only person strong enough to kill me is now dying in that tank!"

The silence fell again. No one dared to even move in the room. Han and Leia looked at Sara and Anakin with fear and shock.

Anakin stared at Sara, surprise and hesitation on his face. He could tell she was speaking the truth, and he could even understand her reasoning: he'd been on her shoes once, and made the wrong choice. He waited for an answer from the other Masters; after a while, the answer came and he spoke again, with a smile: "They've heard you."

"And?" she whispered.

"Ben's wounds will take long to heal, so his soul will be kept alive – as yours was – until his body's in condition to have it back."

"Thank you." Sara finally felt like she could breathe again; closing the space between them, she hugged Anakin, relief filling her – the exhaustion making itself known for the first time in weeks. "Thank you, my friend."

Anakin nodded, looking at her with fondness. "I'll see you soon." He whispered, kissing her forehead before disappearing.

* * *

Ben opened his eyes and stared at an unfamiliar blue sky. He moved his hands against the soft ground and realized it was sand, sitting up he saw he was on a beautiful beach. He looked down and frowned at the lack of wounds on his legs and the strange clothes he was wearing: simple brown trousers and a white long-sleeved shirt, no shoes. He stood up and walked along the shore.

If this is what being dead feels like, it's not bad. He thought, looking around, trying to find Sara – he needed to see her and ask for forgiveness. Even though he had been under Snoke's control, it was still his hand and his lightsaber that had taken her life.

"You won't find her here." suddenly he heard a male voice and turned around to face a young man.

"Do I know you?" he asked, for the man looked strangely familiar.

"I'm Anakin." he paused, smiling. "Hi, grandson."

Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Hi. What is this place? Where is Sara?"

"This is Ahch-To – the planet of the First Jedi Temple. As for Sara, she's alive, sitting in front of your bacta tank, waiting for you to heal."

"No. I've killed her." He shook his head.

"True. But I kept her soul alive, just as I'm keeping yours. Your body is in terrible condition, you should be dead."

"So why aren't I?"

"Sara." Anakin smiled again as he spoke her name. "She threatened to ruin the delicate balance of the Force if we didn't keep you alive. So, I've been granted permission to save you." he looked at his grandson with kindness and pride, "You couldn't have chosen a better person to share your life with, Ben."

"She's alive?" he needed confirmation, the thought of her being alive filling his soul with hope.

"Yes. And she's the one who killed Snoke, by the way. Seconds before he could break your neck, she cut him in half."

"How did she survive what I did to her?"

"I saved her. After your death – the first time – she found Luke here in Ahch-To and asked him to train her. I felt the darkness growing in her and asked to meet her." he seemed embarrassed to speak the next words: "I helped her too and we became friends. I enjoyed her company and even began to love her. As a friend." Those words had Ben narrowing his eyes in disapproval. Anakin smiled and continued: "When you killed her, we knew she couldn't die just yet – it was already written she'd be the one to kill Snoke, although the circumstances weren't clear. Therefore, I received orders to keep her soul alive while her body recovered. When you died, she called me and declared either you lived or she'd burn down the galaxy."

Ben smiled, "That sounds like her." He looked around the beach, enjoying it a little. "So, she's a fully trained Jedi now?"

"Not fully, but already a powerful one."

"I don't doubt she is. How long until I can see her?"

"Not long, time goes different here. As soon as your body is strong enough, you'll be sent back."

* * *

The first thing Ben noticed as his consciousness returned was that he was in pain. A lot of pain. And he was floating inside a bacta tank, like Anakin had said he was. He opened his eyes and looked at the room he was in – it looked like a hospital of some sort. And in front of the tank, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, he could see Sara. He reached out to her and, immediately, his mind was filled by her presence, so familiar, comforting him.

She moved in her sleep, sensing something, and sat up, her hair a mess; when she stared up at him and saw he had his eyes open, she jumped to her feet, touching the glass, her teary eyes fixed on him and a beautiful smile on her lips. _Ben. You're back... we'll get you out of there. _she sent him, calling out loud next: "Dr. Aurin!"

And the doctor came, not hiding her surprise when she saw Ben was awake, she opened the bacta tank to get him out. Han helped hold his son up, something Ben was glad for, for his legs were like jello, the moment he was out of the tank and tried to stand up, blinding pain shot through his body and he'd have fallen if not for his father holding him up.

"I got you, kid." Han murmured, helping Ben to a hospital bed. Sara and his mother were by his side the moment his father let go of him. Both women smiled and shed tears at the same time.

"How big is your pain?" Leia asked touching his hand softly.

"Awful." he rasped, his eyes focused on Sara's face, he wanted to say he was sorry, he wanted to hold her, let her know how proud of her he was, how much he loved her.

She reached out to him, hearing his thoughts, and with a smile she whispered: "Later." Then she kissed his lips softly and frowned, his pain penetrating her mind – it was excruciating, even breathing hurt. "We can't have you hurting like that." she said, moving towards his legs, opening her hands over his wounds, closing her eyes. She let out a deep breath and he felt heat on his thighs, it grew in temperature until it became almost unbearable. But as quick as it had started, it stopped, and Sara opened her eyes, looking at him with a smile before her eyes rolled up and she fainted. Ben lunged forward to stop her from hitting the floor but the pain that shot from his legs stopped him.

"She healed me..." he whispered, watching his father lift an unconscious Sara from the floor and put her onto a bed nearby.

"Yes. She did." Confirmed Dr. Aurin as she inspected his thighs again. "I can't believe you'll live." she murmured before deeming him well enough, all things considered, and walking out of the hospital bay, leaving them alone.

"How long was I out?" he asked with a little difficulty still, sipping from a cup that Leia gave him.

"A week." replied Leia. "I'm so happy to see you alive, son." she kissed his forehead. "We all felt you die years ago..." tears gathered in her eyes.

"I know. Sara told me."

"She is such a special young woman." Leia smiled, looking at her on the other bed. "She's helped me so much, Ben, she helped the Resistance, she spied for me, manipulated the Senators, infiltrated the First Order, and found you – putting herself at risk to bring you back to us; she never gave up on you once she knew you were alive. And when we thought you were lost to us again, she forced the dead Jedi Masters to save you."

Ben nodded: "I saw Anakin, he's the one that kept me alive. He told me about Sara's promise if they let me die." he looked over at her and she stirred. He sent to her: _Rest, love. I am not going anywhere._ And she smiled in her sleep.

* * *

**A few hours later**

The moon was high in the sky when Sara slowly woke up, taking a while to recognize the place she was in.

"Ben." she whispered, remembering he had woken up; she quickly sat up on the bed and looked around, finding him asleep on a bed to her left. She smiled and got up, walking close to him.

The medical bay was empty, the silence a relief; just knowing there was no immediate threat was enough to make Sara want to do a little dance; and seeing Ben recovering made her want to laugh out loud. She reached his bed and touched his face, his hair; tears of joy falling down her cheeks. She laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes, just focusing on the sound of his heartbeat.

After a moment, she felt his hand on her hair and opened her eyes, raising her head.

"Ben." She whispered with a smile, when her eyes met his. "Do you remember?" she asked with hope in her voice.

"Everything." He nodded, bringing her face close to his and kissing her lips.

Sara smiled when her lips left his and pressed her forehead to his. He put one hand on the back of her head, feeling her emotions through their renewed bond – relief, happiness and tiredness – but mostly relief, and love for him. She lay down beside him on the narrow bed, careful not to touch his leg, and laid her head on his chest again, closing her eyes and sighing happily.

"My grandfather said you threatened to burn down the galaxy..." he said, as he caressed her hair, making Sara chuckle.

"I did..." she looked up into his eyes. "I couldn't go through all that pain again. It almost drove me mad once, it was so hard to overcome those dark feelings – I would just let them consume me this time."

He nodded, "I understand. I felt you die and our bond break, when I killed you." his eyes filled with pain. "I'm s..."

"Don't think about it." she interrupted him, touching a finger to his lips.

"I don't think I can forget it, love. The pain was..."

"I know what you mean." she said, kissing his lips. "How bad is your pain now? Do you want me to heal you a little more?"

"No, it's bearable. And how can you do that?"

"After you died, I asked Master Luke to help me control my anger and my thoughts of revenge. I wanted to kill the entire First Order and everyone else that could be remotely responsible for your death." she took a deep breath. "A part of me knew those thoughts would take me down a dark path... so, long story short: I went to Ahch-To, trained for a few weeks and befriended your grandfather."

"He told me that part. I had a chat with him while my body recovered. He said he enjoyed your company and even began to love you, as a friend – his words."

Sara looked at his face, not believing what she was sensing. "You can't be jealous." Ben averted his eyes and she openly laughed. "No way! Of all the men in the galaxy, you think I'd leave you for Vader's ghost?"

"Well, you both wanted to burn down the galaxy once." He added, smiling.

"True." She conceded. "But he helped me, Ben, a lot. I don't think Master Luke could've done for me what Anakin did."

"I'm glad; a little jealous, but I understand he helped you when you were in a dark place." He kissed her lips softly. "You're amazing, Sara." he said, touching her face lovingly. "I love you."

"And I love you, Ben. I can barely believe you're here and this is all over. Our people is settling down really well in Tandankin, and we can finally step away from this madness of war."

"And embrace the next madness," added Leia, who had been watching them from the door, walking into the room with a smile, "The crown."

Both Sara and Ben made a face, soon smiling in acceptance.

* * *

**Two days later**

The remaining Resistance members were packing everything and closing the base down to board the Millenium Falcon to leave Crait, and move on with their lives, when suddenly the alarms rang.

Sara was helping Ben walk around the hospital bay – he had been improving quickly, his wounds had already almost completely healed – when they felt a presence at the same time "Hux." they spoke in unison.

"And Carise too." Said Leia, walking into the medical bay and checking the TV monitors. "They've brought an army with them." She sounded a bit worried.

"I'll deal with them." Said Sara, helping Ben to a chair.

"I'll go with you." Replied Leia.

"I'll just stay here and watch the show." Ben said, smiling. "It'll be fun to watch them realize who you were truly working for."

Sara smiled and kissed his lips before walking out of the room, summoning her lightsaber from a table as she reached the door.

The huge metal doors of the base were opened and Sara walked outside with Leia and Han by her side, a few Resistance soldiers behind them.

The look of shock in Hux and Carise's faces when they saw Sara standing with the Resistance made worth it all the battle wounds she had sustained. She could hear Ben's laughter on the back on her mind.

"Hello there." she greeted them.

"Sara!" exclaimed Lady Carise. "Armitage told me you were followed coming to this Resistance Base, to aid them! But I didn't want to believe it! Not you! I've known you for years, I trust you! Whatever they've done to you, we can help, dear. Tell me, do they have your father as hostage? That's why you're helping them?"

Sara sighed, too tired to explain anything, she simply held her lightsaber and ignited it.

Hux and Carise looked suddenly fearful.

"There's only one way this could end." said Sara, twirling her lightsaber in one hand. "You can either surrender willingly or unwillingly."

"Surrender?" barked Hux. "Look around you: you are outnumbered, outgunned and surrounded."

Sara smiled, "General, I've been manipulating the entire Senate against the First Order for the past three years. I can easily make you order them all to retreat. Willingly or unwillingly, it's your choice."

Hux got red with anger, he grabbed a communications device to give an order and Sara raised her hand towards him, "You are going to tell them the Resistance has won. You will surrender." her voice soft and compelling.

He blinked, his eyes getting out of focus, then he clicked the device in his hand and spoke into it: "Retreat and surrender. The Resistance has won."

Carise froze in fear and shock, her eyes huge in her face.

Leia spoke firmly to Sara: "Tell them to go to Lonera and surrender to Varish Vicly. I've already talked to her, we're temporarily setting the New Republic Headquarters on her planet."

Sara repeated Leia's words to Hux and he repeated them into the communications device. In less than a minute, all star destroyers and smaller ships were gone from Crait's orbit.

"Arrest them." ordered Leia, and four Resistance members approached Carise and Hux and cuffed them.

Sara released Hux from under her control and he looked around, confused, feeling his arms being held behind his back. He started to shout several threats and trash around, giving his captors a hard time. Sara raised her hand again "You will comply." and he immediately lowered his head and let them carry him into the Base to be locked up in a cell.

* * *

**The next day**

Leia and Han boarded the Falcon with the resistance members and the prisoners, going towards Lonera. Sara and Ben left Crait in the Mirrorbright, having promised Leia they would arrive in Tandankin before the week was out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last, only happiness and smut and babies. 
> 
> Hope you’re enjoying this craziness! 


	12. Happy Ending

**Inside the Mirrorbright**

Sara walked into the cockpit of her ship and stopped by the door, admiring Ben sitting in the pilot's chair. "It's so good to see you here."

"It feels good to be here." He replied, clicking some buttons in the control panel, and the ship promptly responded. Sara sat on the copilot's chair, flicking a couple of switches and buckling her seatbelt.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked him.

"More than ready. I can't wait to spend an entire week doing absolutely nothing but traveling and fucking you."

Sara shook her head, smiling at his crude language.

The Mirrorbright left Crait and reached the quiet beauty of space; Ben switched on the autopilot and rested on his seat, looking at Sara.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up, smiling at him. "How's your pain?"

He looked annoyed by her question. "Fine. Just like it was the last time you asked, ten minutes ago."

She got closer to him and put one knee between his legs onto the seat, running one hand through his hair, she pulled on the strands, making him look up at her face: "I ask 'cause I worry. I saw you die once, and you almost died on me a second time; I'm not accepting it again. Do you know how much work I'll have if you die? I'll have to burn down the whole galaxy, and that's too damn big!" she joked, making him chuckle.

Ben pulled her down for a kiss, his other hand caressing her thighs under her dress.

"Let's move this to the bedroom." she gasped as he kissed her neck and his hands kneaded her breasts. "As much as I'd love to ride you right here, I'd worry about your thighs."

"Ok. But I'll take a rain check on that."

She looked at him and pulled him up, "I'm all for revisiting that idea." she smiled naughtily and they went to the bedroom.

As they walked in, Sara told him: "Lie down. Let me undress you." she needed to replace the memory of the last time she had undressed him as he bled out in the hospital bay.

Ben saw the concern in her mind, and he understood she needed that, so he lay down as she had asked.

Before joining him on the bed, Sara removed her dress, letting her bra and panties fall to the floor too. Once naked, she kneeled beside him on the bed and lifted his shirt, caressing his chest, licking and biting his scarred skin from his lower abdomen up to his mouth. She took the shirt off of him and sucked on his bottom lip; Ben put a hand behind her head, taking control of the kiss, possessing her lips. She kissed down his chest again, pulling his pants and underwear down his legs carefully. She kneeled between his legs, taking a look at his wounded thighs.

"They're better." Ben reassured her again.

Sara decided to trust his words and laid a kiss on each thigh before nipping on the inner side of one, as her hands found his balls, massaging and tugging on them while she ran her tongue over his hard dick, teasing him. Her lips closed around the head and he moaned, grabbing a handful of her hair and controlling her movements; she began slowly, her tongue swirling around the head, dipping into his slit, soon she had him groaning and tightening his grip on her hair, feeling through their bond how much she loved his demonstration of dominance. "You like this, don't you?" he asked, and she hummed in confirmation, her mouth full of his dick, her head moving up and down, taking him down as far as she could. He let her suck him until he couldn't take it anymore, her mouth hot and wet, just perfectly engulfing him to the point of driving him crazy. Then he pulled her mouth away from him and up towards his face, kissing her reddened lips as she sat on top of him, his member finding its way into her body easily. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of having him deep inside of her, circling her hips slowly, before beginning to move up and down.

Ben watched as she rode him, the pleasure written on her face, on the way she parted her lips and furrowed her brows; how she opened her eyes to look into his and he saw her desire for him. He could feel through their bond how much pleasure she was feeling, and how she loved whenever he hit deep inside of her. He made sure to move his hips just enough to always hit the spot that drove her over the edge. And she rode him fast, throwing her head back, exposing her neck; he pulled her down, bringing her breasts to his face and sucked on her nipples, biting them, making her moan louder and move even faster on his dick. Soon she was shouting his name, her pussy closing around his member, her whole body trembling as an orgasm washed over her. He gripped her hips possessively and helped her keep moving on his dick, her moans turning into small shouts as he kept on making her cum; her walls squeezing his dick mercilessly, making it impossible for him to stop his own climax, so he let go and spilled his load deep into her. They kissed, both still breathing irregularly.

"I love you." She whispered, laying her head on his chest, feeling his dick slip from inside of her and their mixed cums run down her thighs.

"And I love you." He replied, caressing her hair.

And they fell into a well-deserved sleep.

* * *

Ben woke up after a couple of hours, Sara had rolled off of him. He sat up on the bed and watched as she slept soundly by his side, on her stomach, naked as him. Her mind was calm and relaxed – two things he was certain she hadn't felt for the past three years. She had changed in those years she'd thought him dead – his young Senator had become a war spy and a Jedi. Even so, the woman he loved was still there – stronger and more powerful than before – but she was still his beloved Sara, who carried all their dreams in her heart alone in the years he'd been under Snoke's control.

"Stop staring at me." she mumbled.

He chuckled. "I can't help it." he brushed her hair off of her shoulder and kissed her skin, his eyes finding her golden necklace. He unclasped it and pulled it from around her neck, carefully holding the ring in his hand. Sara opened her eyes and turned to look at him.

"I remember the day I bought this." He said. "I walked into the jewelry store and this stone called to me immediately. The owner of the shop explained to me about rol stones being as sentient as kyber crystals and that if this one had called to me it had to mean something. So, I decided this had to be yours."

Sara smiled. "It's beautiful; I'm really happy such a beautiful ring reminded you of me... I received it a few days after you died, it was delivered to your mother's house."

"You've never put it on your finger?"

"No. I didn't want to do it myself, for you had to be the one to do it. Also, after the news of your purchase hit the press, the gossip magazines were paying hefty amounts of credits for any clues of who your fiancé was. I didn't need that kind of attention. It could be dangerous to me."

Sara sat up close to him, touching her nose to his neck, kissing his skin, filling her lungs with his scent. "I've just remembered something: your mother named me her successor the day before this ring arrived."

"Really? So if I dump you now, I won't have to be part of the Ruling House of Alderaan?" he asked, teasing her.

"Exactly. Then perhaps I could invite Anakin to rule by my side. You know how he loves me." She casually said, turning his attempt of a joke against him.

Beb narrowed his eyes at her, making her laugh. Then he took the ring from the necklace, holding her left hand up. "Sara Antilles, after all we've been through, will you still marry me?"

She smiled. "Of course, Ben Solo."

And he slid the ring onto her finger, kissing it and making a path of kisses up her arm, to her neck and mouth, taking her lips and lying on top of her, between her legs.

"Aren't your thighs hurting?" she asked, worried.

"Not much." he whispered on her ear, biting her neck, going to her breasts, teeth on her nipples, as one hand moved between her legs to play with her pussy; "You're so wet for me." his voice soft, warm, one finger penetrating her, going out to caress her clit.

"Fuck me, Ben." she demanded, her legs wrapping around his waist, pulling him on top of her.

"So bossy." he took her lips, his tongue fighting hers for dominance; the moment he penetrated her to the hilt, his balls resting against her ass, he felt her give in to him completely, her whole body trembling in pleasure. He thrust deep and hard into her, entwining their hands and holding them above her head on the bed, he kept on dominating her mouth, swallowing her moans, stealing her breath, and possessing all of her. When she reached her climax he put his dick as deep as possible, pining her on the bed with his weight, feeling each and every tremble of her body as she came apart under him, then he pounded into her like a mad man, feeling his cum fill up her pussy, some of it dripping out – a sight he loved.

* * *

They enjoyed their days like that: resting, making love, talking, making love again.

It was day six of their vacation, and Sara woke up first and decided to go to the kitchen to prepare something for them to eat, she knew she was starving, Ben had to be just as hungry. She put a comfortable dress on, not bothering with panties or bra, and walked barefoot to the ship's kitchen.

* * *

The first thing Ben noticed when he woke up was that Sara wasn't on the bed with him. He stretched, feeling his thigh muscles complain a little, and got up, putting on some soft pajama pants and following the delicious scent of baked cinnamon rolls that was coming from the kitchen.

He saw Sara washing something in the sink, her back to him, and approached her from behind, touching his larger body to her back, loving the way she immediately melted against him, her ass rubbing on his dick. He kissed her neck, "Are you busy?" he whispered.

"A little. Making us some food." She replied, eyes closed, enjoying his kisses and the roaming hands caressing her thighs and kneading her breasts.

"As delicious as what you're baking smells, I want to have you. Right now." And Sara's response was to turn off the faucet and lay her head on her shoulder, giving him more access to her neck. Ben held her waist and walked her to the small kitchen island, making her bend over it; he lifted her dress and caressed her ass, gripping her hips possessively; he lowered his pants and parted her legs, rubbing the large head of his dick against her swollen pussy. He sank deep inside of her in one single thrust, making her gasp loudly and shiver at the pleasure/pain his thrust gave her – something he knew she loved. He grabbed a handful of her hair at the nape of her neck and brought her face up, her breasts leaving the cold stone of the island to be exposed as he ripped her dress out, his hips never stopping fucking her hard and deep. He pinched her already sore nipples, feeling how she got even slicker at every twist of his fingers.

"You're so delicious, pet." His voice deep with pleasure. "Such a tight hot pussy."

And his dirty words had an instant effect on her, "Harder." She pleaded.

And he did just that, fucking her even deeper and stronger; her moans increasing, turning into screams, and he had her cumming on his dick in no time, her pussy squeezing his member; he fucked her as hard as he could, making her cum again and again, until he couldn't stop his own orgasm – and every jet of cum that left his dick to paint her inner walls were like a small orgasm to him, the sight of some of it dripping down her thighs had him groaning in pride. He kissed her back, going to her shoulders and neck, helping her stand up straight. Sara turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him slowly. Once they were breathing at their normal rate again, they fixed their clothes and she asked Ben to set the table for them to eat.

"I wish we could just live like this." he said, as they enjoyed the delicious meat pie and cinnamon rolls she had made.

"No, you don't. Not really." she replied, honestly. "We'd both be bored within a month, Ben. We are used to always be fighting for or against something, and solving problems."

"True." He conceded.

"But, don't worry, we'll be able to have many moments like this in Tandankin."

"Promise?"

"Yes. I promise." She kissed him, tasting cinnamon on his lips.

The sound of Sara's phone ringing made them stop the kiss; it was Leia: "We had agreed you'd send me news every 24 hours!" she complained the moment Sara answered the call, putting it on speaker: "Are you two alright?" Asked Leia.

"Yes, mother, we're more than alright." Ben replied. "We'll be arriving in Tandankin tonight."

"Good. In two days, you'll have a meeting with the local representatives and I'll be announcing my abdication in Sara's favor and, also, your wedding."

"Ok. We'll be landing in a couple of hours." said Sara.

They turned off the phone and looked at one another, "Are you ready for this?" she asked.

"No. I don't think I'll ever be. But I remember something you once said: Those who want power should never have it." His words had Sara smiling. He continued: "Will we be the perfect leaders? No, but I'm sure we can do something good for our people. Well, at the very least, we'll try."

Sara smiled at him: "Yes. We'll do our best. Together." and she kissed him again, her heart filled with joy.

* * *

**Tandankin**

It was night when they landed on the place Leia had given them coordinates to; it was a beautiful prairie, with a small blue and white house, with a wraparound porch, sitting on it. The Falcon was parked nearby. Ben and Sara walked out of the Mirrorbright, hand in hand; Leia appeared on the porch and walked towards them. "It's so good to see you two." she hugged them, "Are you feeling well, my son?"

"Yes, mom. My legs are almost completely healed."

Leia nodded and turned to Sara: "You look happy, my dear."

"I am." she replied with a smile.

"I know." said Leia, pulling Sara to a hug, tears gathering in her eyes as she remembered how miserable Sara had been when Ben had died. "Come on," she said before she started crying, "Let's get in." and they entered the house. "Welcome home. This is our wedding gift for you."

"What? This house?" Sara asked surprised.

"Yes, and all the land around it." confirmed Han getting up from the couch and coming to greet them too. "Welcome home."

"Thanks, father." Said Ben, receiving a hug from his father.

"We've also bought ourselves a house not far from here." Added Leia, as Han hugged Sara. "So, as soon as everything is going well in Lonera, we'll be moving here too. Your father will keep working on the races, but I want to rest for a while. Maybe help with some grandkids in the near future." She winked at Sara.

"Your help will be much appreciated, Leia." Said Sara. "But would you consider becoming our Senator in the future? That's not something I enjoy doing."

"Sure, dear. I must admit the quiet life will probably bore me after a while."

"Thanks." Said Sara.

"Luke will be coming here too. He's decided to reopen the Temple, but he said he'd like to stay close to us this time." continued Leia. "He's found a place in the mountains where he said the connection to the Force is strong."

"I'm happy to hear that." Replied Sara. "It'll be good to have him around, I'd like to continue my training."

"As long as my grandfather stays in Ahch-To." Murmured Ben, making Sara laugh.

* * *

**Two months later**

Sara woke up with a strange feeling of not being alone; she had been feeling it for a few days now but hadn't thought much about it. She looked around the room and out of the window, but there was no one there. She dismissed it and got dressed, going to the kitchen. Ben was nowhere to be seen, she started to set the table for breakfast and, minutes later, Luke walked into the house.

"Good morning, Sara."

"Morning, Master Luke." She smiled and hugged him. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"So, please, sit down and join me." She sat and he followed, sitting in front of her. "Can I ask you something, Master?" she asked as she poured him a cup of caf.

"Of course."

"Can you feel your father's energy nearby?"

Luke frowned, finding that question strange, but he closed his eyes, reaching out to look for Anakin's presence.

"Yes, I can." He answered, looking at Sara. "Isn't he around?"

"No. I've been feeling him for days but when I call him, he never shows up; all I feel is that faint energy, all the time." She sipped her tea and continued. "I haven't asked Ben about it, for he's already shown he doesn't like my friendship with Anakin very much."

Luke laughed. "He's jealous?"

"Yes. Anakin said to him he loved me, as a friend. And Ben didn't like it at all."

Luke shook his head, a smile on his lips. Then he said, reassuringly: "I'm sure the fact that his energy is around means nothing bad. He's probably protecting you. If there were trouble, Master Yoda would tell me."

Sara nodded and kept on having her breakfast.

"Where's Ben?" Luke asked.

"He had an early meeting with the Councillors, they have to decide what we'll plant and which animals we'll have on the farms." She bit her sandwich. "Many want to continue the tradition of the alderaanian silks – they were extremely valuable and of the highest quality; many still know how to cultivate the bugs, so that's one thing I'm certain we'll do."

The front door was opened and Ben walked into the house, looking annoyed. He closed the door and looked at Sara, smiling at her, "Good morning, love." He walked to her and kissed her. "Morning, uncle." And he sat beside Sara, pouring himself a cup of caf.

"How was the meeting?" she asked.

"As we had presumed: silk, cotton, bantha's milk and some grains. Overall, it went well." He looked at his uncle. "I must admit though, becoming a Jedi doesn't look that bad anymore. Being responsible for all these people, having to make decisions and hoping they are the best for everybody... it's not easy."

"That's because you're doing your job properly. You're caring for your people." Luke looked at his nephew and Sara. "You're a leader, Ben. And you have the perfect partner beside you. The alderaanians are very lucky to have you both. And they know it."

The couple smiled at each other.

"Are you two feeling Anakin's energy?" Ben suddenly asked. "I've been feeling him around for a while now."

"Yes. I've just asked Luke about it. He thinks Ani's just protecting us." Said Sara.

"Yes." Confirmed Luke. "But I'll look into it and let you know."

* * *

And Luke stayed close to the couple for the rest of the day, trying to see where Anakin's energy was coming from. But the day went by and nothing changed. Ben and Sara spent the day hard at work, having meetings, helping people move into their new homes, talking to them, listening to their ideas and needs. Meanwhile, Anakin's energy was always around, – not surprisingly, stronger around Sara – puzzling the Jedi Master.

Luke tried calling his father several times but, just like Sara had told him, Anakin never showed up. Luke decided to go for a walk, going to that spot on the mountain where the connection to the Force was stronger; his plan was to meditate to find Anakin.

He sat on the soft grass, closing his eyes and beginning his search.

"Find him you won't." suddenly Yoda appeared beside him. "Part of the Force no longer Anakin is."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Luke frowned, worrying.

"On his way back to life he is. A second chance he's got."

"What?" Luke was truly worried now. "You're sending him back to the living? Is that wise?"

"Wise it's not. Safe it certainly is."

"Where will he be born?"

"Right here." Yoda hit the ground with his staff.

"How could you do that to the alderaanians? They've just began living in a good planet and you're sending Anakin to live among them! He was part of the destruction of Alderaan!" Luke stood up, running his hand through his hair, in a sign of nervousness. "Can you at least tell me who will give birth to him?"

"Uh-uh." Yoda shook his head. "Find out soon you will." And he disappeared, laughing.

Luke sighed heavily, concern growing inside him. A war had just ended, the Force had just found its balance again and now this: Anakin would soon be back in the world. He shook his head, thinking how he'd never understand the reasoning behind Yoda's actions. He looked up at the sky, the moon was already high in the sky, it was a beautiful night. He remembered Sara had invited him for dinner, so he slowly walked back to Ben's house, deciding to begin a list of all pregnant women on the planet the next day, to keep and eye on them.

Luke reached the small house, entered the living room and found Ben and Sara on the sofa, she was lying on the soft cushions, fast asleep, her head on her husband's lap. Ben sat comfortably, wearing simple pants and a t-shirt, his hair still wet from the shower, just reading a book. Luke stared at them for a moment.

"There's dinner for you in the fridge." Ben told his uncle.

Luke looked at him and at Sara a little longer. "This life suits you, kid. You look happy."

"I am happy." Ben smiled, touching Sara's face, "Almost every day I think of how close I was to losing her... even though I don't like to remember Anakin saying he loves her, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be having this." He paused, "Maybe that's why we keep sensing him around: he saved both of us, he made sure we had our second chance, he's probably just looking after us."

But Ben's words made Luke stop on his way to the kitchen, a thought crossing his mind. He turned around, looking at the couple on the couch again. Then he slowly walked towards them, kneeling in front of Sara's sleeping form and raising his hands towards her.

"What's wrong?" asked Ben, putting his book down, worried by his uncle's sudden behavior.

"She's pregnant." Luke whispered. "He chose her, because they had a connection." He got up from the floor, his thoughts running inside his mind, he ignored Ben's question and continued voicing his thoughts: "She was able to look past his flaws and love him as a friend, that's why Master Yoda said it was safe!"

"Uncle, what are you talking about? Sara's pregnant?"

"Yes!"

"What are you two arguing about now?" asked Sara slowly waking up. "And who's pregnant?"

"You are!" exclaimed Luke. "And that's why we keep sensing my father's energy around! You were able to befriend him; you love him even though you know everything he did." Explained Luke, noticing neither one of them was understanding what he was saying, so he took a deep breath and tried to explain again: "Master Yoda just told me Anakin's got his second chance, that he's on his way back to this world."

"Really?" Sara smiled. "I'm happy for him. He deserves a chance to happiness." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawning next, and put one hand on her still flat belly, smiling. "Yes, I can feel it. There's a small energy in me..." she looked at Ben, "We're having a baby!" but her husband stared at his uncle, looking serious – he had just realized what his uncle was trying to say; then he shook his head, sounding concerned: "No, uncle, you can't be serious."

"I am. That's why we feel him around: because he is!" and he pointed at Sara.

"Wait. What?" she frowned, understanding it as well. "I'm pregnant... and my baby carries Anakin's soul?"

The two man nodded, Luke in a vigorous way and Ben in a slow concerned fashion.

Sara blinked, touching her belly again, she closed her eyes reaching out to the little energy she felt inside her, focusing on identifying it; after a moment she recognized her friend's energy. She sent him love and reassurance. Then she opened her eyes, looking at Ben who seemed a little pale.

"It'll be fine. We'll guide him and love him. He'll never feel lost or alone, the seed of darkness won't ever take roots inside of him. And if he's ever naughty he'll have to deal with me."

Both men stared at her silently for a while and then burst in laughter.

"True, my dear Sara," said Luke. "I am not sure he knew exactly what he was doing when he chose you to bring him back into the world." He chuckled, "Now, who's going to tell Leia?"

And the couple looked suddenly worried, not a hint of laughter on their faces anymore.

* * *

No one told Leia about it, but she realized, eventually, that her brilliant grandson was more than just a gifted child – he had an old soul, once tormented, but now healed by his loving family.

Ben was a great leader, one Bail and Breha Organa would be proud of; and Sara was the heart of the alderaanian people, ruling beside her husband with love and patience but showing a firm hand whenever necessary.

Little Anakin Solo grew up to be a caring brother to his two sisters and his brother, and a beloved child of the alderaanians, who already saw in him the next great leader of their people just like his father was.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my story! I already have another one almost ready to be uploaded, with the challenge #smutineverychapter. It’ll be shorter but hotter than all the others I’ve written so far. 
> 
> Leave a message/review, please. It’s great hearing from readers! 


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